The World is Filled with Uncertainties
by Tomorrow is Sorrow
Summary: [Post Game] A year has passed since Neku beat Joshua at the Reaper's Game. Now things have never been better for Neku; he has friends, happiness, and a new girlfriend. However, one day his world suddenly went white and everything around him changed in an instant. The only people who are his friends now are Josh and Eri. But where are the others?(Always accepting fanmade OCs)
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Greetings fellow fans of "The World Ends with You." If you are reading this then you care about what I have to say. If not, then maybe this will get your attention;**read this it is important.** Okay now that I have your undivided attention I would like to give you some ground rules about this story before you proceed to read it.

1)There will be OCs in this story. New characters add more drama into anything.

2)There will be a lot of swearing just like in the game.

3)There may also be a few gorey parts that may not be suitable for some people.

4)This is a continuation of the game, so if you have not played the game I do not know what to tell you. The first chapter starts as the ending that occurs seven days after the completion of the game.

5)This story will contain some parts that are POV.

6)This story will also contain time and location stamps because…well you will see.

7)Please enjoy this! I have worked very hard on it and I want it be worthy of representing a great game like TWEWY.

Okay, that is all I have to say so read on.

Disclaimer: I do not own The World Ends with You, nor do I own its characters, or any of the music that will be featured throughout the story. However, I do own this story and the OCs that will be introduced in it.

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><p><strong>Chapter 1: Seven Days Past and Many More to Go<strong>

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><p><strong>Neku's POV-<strong>

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><p><em>Udagawa, Shibuya-July 29, 2008, 12:00 P.M. (July 28, 2008, 10:00 P.M. EST). Seven Days post Reaper Game.<em>

'Same streets…same crowds too,' I thought as I stared at CAT's famous mural. 'Yeah, Shibuya hasn't changed a bit. But still, I don't think I can forgive you yet. No, not yet Josh.' I had been staring at the mural for about half an hour now, just thinking about the events that had occurred in my life over the past four weeks. I turned around and proceeded down the Udagawa staircase. It was time to head over to the meeting place. 'Josh, you probably don't see it, but…those few weeks were very hard for me. Learning to trust people; having that trust broken,' I thought as I headed to the Hachiko statue. 'Finding out the town I pegged as small, and stifling, and empty…wasn't any of those things.'

My thoughts drifted to each of the partners that I had over the course of those three weeks in the Game. Shiki, she was the one who opened up my eyes and showed me how selfish I was being. She knew all about me because she was going through the same thing I was; a strong desire to be someone else. I only realized that I was doing that when I saw how much envy had changed her, going so far as to change her appearance. I'm grateful to Shiki for believing in me.

Joshua, or at least that's what he told me his name was anyway, showed me a mirror image of myself. He thought the same way that I did; Shibuya was too noisy. People were scattered, going off in different directions and thinking different things; there was too much going on at once for mine and his tastes. He was the one person in the world who I thought could have been my best friend; the only thing was that our views ended up changing on the subject of Shibuya. I've grown to embrace the noise because I realized that it can broaden my horizon of the world, but Josh…I don't really know about. Where is he now, I wonder?

Beat, he was similar to me in more ways than one. We both lost someone we cared about in a tragic accident; the only difference is that Beat lost so much more. He was a disgrace to his parents just like me; he was a person who went through life without a care in the world just like me. Sure, at first I thought he was an idiot. I mean, take one look at the guy and anyone would assume that, but he is a good guy. He went through so much to save Rhyme…to save all of us. If he was given the opportunity I'm sure he would have been a great Composer. However, if you ask me no one should have that kind of power. 'I'm glad I met you guys. You made me…pick up on things; I probably would've just gone on ignoring,' I thought.

'You played a game, a sick and twisted game with my life and theirs' Josh; and that is why I cannot forgive you. Not yet at least,' I thought. 'But maybe someday I can understand why you did the things you did. You and Mr. H.' I chuckled to myself a little, 'I was hoping he wasn't the Composer the whole time after I had found out that he was CAT. I wished so much that it was someone else so I wouldn't have to kill my idol, but I didn't want it to be you either.'

I stopped walking down the sidewalk and stared up at the blue sky. 'Even though he wasn't the Composer he was involved with you somehow wasn't he, Josh?' I asked to no one. 'Because sure enough on the day that I got back to the RG I raced down to Cat Street; everything was normal except for the café. It was gone, like it never even existed. Then there's you Josh; I looked up the name Yoshiya Kiryu and found no results for it. It's like you never existed either; but the two of you can't hide from me, I know you were real. Although what you were…what you are, I still have no idea.'

I looked back ahead of me and kept walking. 'Josh, Mr. H told me to trust my partner…and I do. Josh, I can't forgive you, but I trust you. You took care of things, right? Otherwise, Shibuya would be gone and my world with it,' I thought. Then I smiled, 'Hey did I mention I've got friends now. We're having our first meeting since the Game a week ago. Josh, will I see you there?' I asked myself.

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><p><em>The Hachiko Statue, Shibuya-July 29, 2008, 12:22 P.M. (July 28, 2008, 10:22 P.M. EST). Seven Days post Reaper Game.<em>

After about twenty minutes I had made it to the Hachiko statue, the proposed meeting place for Shiki, Beat, Rhyme, and I. Beat was leaning up against the side of the statue and he looked kind of impatient; although that might just have been his outfit. Beat's skater-dude look kind of gave off that impression. Rhyme was standing next to her brother and was rocking back and forth on her heels in order to decrease her boredom. Rhyme was also wearing the outfit that I had met her in. I guess the siblings wanted to make finding each other easier for Shiki and I, although I didn't really get Rhyme's outfit; her cheerful attitude didn't match her emo-looking clothes. The only thing in her outfit that did match her personality was that bell pendant that she always wore.

I had noticed the Bito siblings first but they had not noticed me; the person who noticed me first was the girl standing next to them. "Neku!" the girl shouted, which made me turn my attention to her. I cast a curious look at her; 'Why is that girl shouting at me?' I asked myself. I scanned her features to see if I recognized her. The girl had short brown hair and brown eyes that were hidden behind a pair of glasses; and she wore a dull green jacket over a black shirt, and a pale purple knee-length skirt. The girl was smiling at me but I had no idea who she was. Then I noticed that the girl carried a black stuffed pig…no a cat I guess.

Suddenly, realization hit me like a brick and I remembered something that Shiki had said to me back in the Game. '"I know, when we meet up in the RG I'll bring Mr. Mew, and then you'll know who I am. But Neku, once you see the real me…will we still be friends?'" I remember Shiki asked me that when I found out that her appearance in the UG wasn't her true self.

My eyes went wide, "Shiki?" I said aloud.

Then Beat and Rhyme noticed me to. "Yo, Phones it took ya long enough!" Beat shouted at me, "Do ya know how damn borin' it is waitin' on somebody to show up?!"

I smiled at the three people that I had come to know as my friends over the past three weeks and then I ran over to the Hachiko statue to talk to them. Rhyme was the first one to greet me; "Hi Neku, it's been a while hasn't it?" she asked.

I nodded, "Yeah, it's good to see you again Rhyme. Hey did Beat ever tell you all that happened while you were in that Pin?"

She giggled and nodded in reply; "Mostly everything, but I do think that he's leaving out some things." Rhyme looked up at her brother, "Am I right Beat?"

Beat looked away from his little sister and then rubbed the back of his head. "Um…well ya know… like I said I kinda went through 'a rough patch after ya left," Beat replied.

I shook my head, "Yeah, one thing was clear as day Rhyme, you brother really loves you. He even went so far as to become a Reaper to get you back to normal."

Rhyme's eyes widened when I said that, "What?!"

Beat made his classic panicked expression and then he glared at me. "Phones, I hadn't gotten around to tellin' her 'dat yet!" he yelled at me.

I laughed nervously, "Oops, sorry but at least it's out in the open now right?" I began to rub the back of my head as well.

Rhyme looked back at Beat, "Is that true?" she asked.

"Um…well…ya…see…I uh," Beat began to stutter incessantly until Rhyme shut him up when she drew him into a hug.

Rhyme smiled as she held onto her brother. "You went so far as to become one of them in order to save me. I finally got my brother back, and to think that all it took for us to be close again was for us to die," she said.

Beat smiled and he hugged his sister back. "I promise 'dat I won't ever leave ya alone again Rhyme."

I smiled at the siblings; finally after all this time they had been reunited for good. Then I looked to my left and saw that the unfamiliar girl was also smiling at them. "Shiki, is that you?" I asked.

The girl turned her attention to me and then nodded. "Yeah, this is the real me. I told you I looked a lot different in the RG. I don't look pretty like Eri at all, but I'm happy to be back in my own body anyway." Then Shiki looked at the ground and swayed her arms from side to side like she was thinking about something. "So, um…Neku," she said as she fiddled with her glasses, "How do you think I look?" she asked as she stared at me with her brown eyes.

Something about her eyes just made me feel uncomfortable so I fell silent for a second. I really didn't know how to respond to her question so I took a deep breath and then bluntly said, "Idiot, haven't you learned anything from the UG?"

Shiki was confused, "Huh?"

"It doesn't matter what I think about how you look, and it doesn't matter what anybody else thinks either." I motioned to all of her, "This is the real Shiki and you should be proud of that." Then I sighed and rubbed the back of my head again, "But…if you want my honest opinion I think that this Shiki is much prettier than Eri-Shiki." I don't know why I said that I thought she was pretty but I didn't necessarily lie about that; she was kind of…cute.

When I said that comment about her being pretty Shiki's eyes seemed grow three sizes and then she looked back down at the ground. "Um…thank…you…N-Neku," she stuttered.

I looked at Shiki with slight confusion. 'Oh God, please don't let that be something I'm going to regret later on,' I thought.

Then I heard giggling and I looked back at the Hachiko statue, and saw that Rhyme was the one giggling. She suddenly stopped and started singing, "Neku and Shiki sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G," then she started giggling again. I looked back at Shiki and saw that she was still looking at the ground, but now she seemed to be fidgeting; she definitely heard what Rhyme said. It was starting to make me feel uncomfortable as well.

Rhyme was still giggling until finally she was shut up by Beat. "Aight Rhyme, that's enough," Beat said, "Phones' cheeks can only get so red," he said as he smiled at me.

I didn't know what he meant when he said that but then I felt my face burning. My cheeks were red. How could that be? Rhyme's statement was embarrassing but not that embarrassing. After a minute or so, when the awkwardness had died down a little I desperately tried to change the subject. "Hey guys, have you had lunch yet. If not, why don't we head over to Dogenzaka and get some ramen," I said.

Beat nodded, "Me and Rhyme haven't chowed down yet so 'dat sounds good to me, Yo," he said.

Rhyme also nodded, "I'm hungry," she agreed with Beat.

I looked back at Shiki, "Shiki, you want to go get some ramen?"

Shiki didn't look directly at me but she shifted her gaze from the ground; and then she barely whispered, "I could eat."

I smiled, "Okay then, follow me."

I led the four of us to the Scramble Crossing and then Beat and Rhyme took off ahead of me. Beat looked back at me, "Yo, Phones we haven't had ourselves a race since Week 1. First one to Ramen Don don't have to pay. On your mark, get set, go!" Beat raced out of the crossing and ran all the way to 104.

Rhyme struggle to keep up behind her brother. "Wait up Beat!" she frantically called out as she tried to keep up with the hyperactive idiot.

I just stood there in the Crossing watching the two siblings run out ahead of me. Shiki was the last one behind us, and upon entering the Crossing she just ran up to me. "Beat wants to race again?" she asked me.

I nodded, "But I still didn't agree to race." Then I smiled at her, "Hey you want to make them wait for us again and go check out 104?"

Shiki smiled back at me and then she put her fingers up to her cheek to emphasize that she was contemplating the idea. "Hmm, sounds tempting…but no!" she shouted, catching me off-guard. "This time we are so going to win. Now come on!" she shouted as she grabbed hold of my arm and dragged me to 104.

I yelped, "Hey, wait dammit!" I shouted while she dragged me. Then, by the time the two of us got to 104 I matched Shiki's speed and managed to get out of her grip on my arm. She frowned a little when she no longer had control of my speed. I sighed, and then I grabbed onto her hand. Shiki gasped at the sudden contact, but then she smiled…and then blushed a little. Then she laced her fingers together with mine to establish a firm connection that would not break. I felt a little uneasy but also a little happy.

At that point I knew it was true. All the things that the four of us had experienced in those three weeks were just a distant memory now. The nightmare was over and the true dream was about begin. I didn't know how it would end…but I was excited to experience every new thing involved in the future. Just like CAT taught me.

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><p><strong>Joshua's POV-<strong>

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><p><em>The Hachiko Statue, Shibuya-July 29, 2008, 12:24 P.M. (July 28, 2008, 10:24 P.M. EST). Seven Days post Reaper Game.<em>

'Neku…well done. I wish I could tell you that in person, but I just can't. The Council won't allow me to have any more contact with Shibuya, much less the person I made my proxy,' I thought as I stood on the ledge of a nearby rooftop. I was looking down to Hachiko Square, where I saw Neku and all his other friends. Sanae sat on the ledge next to me, and he was also looking down at the four kids in the square. I continued to look at Neku and I imagined that the words that I was thinking of in my head would somehow be conveyed to him. 'Neku, I'm sorry. I know this wasn't fair, looking back this whole month was nothing but a mistake.'

I took my eyes off of Neku for a second and looked around to the rest of Shibuya. The crowded streets and thousands of people walking around and having different ideas on their mind; that was Shibuya. 'Now I think I can finally see what Megumi meant when he said there was hope for Shibuya. However, his idea of achieving uniformity was flawed. Unity isn't something that can be obtained through the process of a simple Hive Mind. No, unity must be obtained over a long process of connections between other people. Megumi was a simple Reaper so he could not see that,' I thought. Then I shifted my gaze back to Neku and his friends.

'Neku…I chose you as my proxy. I chose you to defeat Megumi and prove that Shibuya could not be saved. It could have been anyone, but I chose you. It wasn't just because you saw my fight with Minamimoto; it was because I sensed something in you. You were just like me, content with knowing only your thoughts and no one else's,' I thought. Then I frowned, 'But you evolved; now you care about other worlds and not just your own.' I grunted.

'That's why I let you play the Duel with me, and you won. You wouldn't shoot me. Maybe there is some hope for Shibuya, but Neku you should be ready. Once I'm gone I have no idea what will happen to Shibuya, but one thing is clear, since you beat me at the Duel I'm no longer the Composer; and since Sanae helped you he is no longer the Producer. I'm afraid that you are now on your own,' I thought.

"You know, this mess is going to have repercussions Upstairs. But hey, at least things are back to normal right?" Sanae asked.

I frowned at his comment and made no reply.

Sanae chuckled, "What, you seem a little down?" He saw me looking down at Neku and his friends; "Hey it's their world, they get to decide what to do with it," he said. I wasn't in the mood to talk; I was scared, scared of what would happen to Shibuya in my absence. Would it become something vile in the hands of humans or would the next Composer make it that way. Only time would tell. Sanae looked at me, "Hey, just…" he started but then I cut him off my turning into my iridescent form and flew into the sky. I heard Sanae chuckle again and then he sprouted his white wings and flew after me. I heard him say, "Some people just don't know when to take no for an answer."

'Good luck Neku, good luck.'

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><p>AN: Okay, I had most of the ending in there and I added my own bits and pieces. I hope this gets you guys pumped for the next chapter when the real story begins. See ya later.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Alright, this is when the actual gameplay…or the actual story starts. The chapter starts a year after the first chapter, but not to the exact date. This chapter also contains the intro song. I want this story to be considered an actual sequel to the game so I had to have an intro song; and I've chosen one of my favorite songs IRL to be the intro song, so I hope you like it as well. Oh, and one more thing; remember when I said this story is going to contain OCs, well I've noticed that not many people who write TWEWY fanfiction contain fan-made OCs. So I'm going to give you fans the opportunity to make your own OC. The full disclosure of the making of OCs is at the bottom, so until then read and review.

Disclaimer: I do not own the World Ends with You, end of story.

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><p><strong>Chapter Two: The Memorable and Uncertain Things<strong>

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><p><strong>Regular POV-<strong>

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><p><em>Sakuragaoka-cho, Shibuya-August 2, 2009, 11:10 A.M. (August 1, 2009, 9:10 P.M. EST). <em>

Sakuragaoka-cho, a pleasant area in Shibuya meant for those who love the peace and quiet. The street is lined with many sakura trees, which are quite a marvel to look at when they bloom in the spring. Sakuragaoka-cho is also where Neku Sakuraba has lived for the past couple of years, ever since he moved to Shibuya from Shinjuku; this was mostly to get away from his over-bearing parents. Neku lived by himself in a slightly small but well-furbished one bedroom apartment.

Since coming to Shibuya a few years back he has never really had anyone over at his place at least that was the way it was for Neku before a year ago. After Neku died and was brought into the Reaper's Game he met several friends who shared certain bonds with him. When Neku finally won the Game he and his friends were given their lives back and returned to the living. Since then Neku has had his friends over on more than one occasion, and he has visited their homes as well. Neku, Shiki, Rhyme, and Beat have become good friends over the course of the past year.

Speaking of Neku, at that moment he was inside of his apartment and was sitting at his desk. There was a black leather-bound notebook that sat open on his desk. He had a pencil in his hand and it appeared that he was about to write something.

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><p><strong>Neku's POV-<strong>

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><p><em>Sakuragaoka-cho, Shibuya-August 2, 2009, 11:10 A.M. (August 1, 2009, 9:10 P.M. EST).<em>

I tapped my pencil on my desk, thinking of what I should write down. I sighed and then leaned back in my desk chair. 'Dammit, I wanted to try writing in this thing but I just can't think of what to write about,' I thought. Then I sighed again and sat up right, "Guess, I could use this as a journal. Shiki said she writes down all her problems and thoughts in a diary and it helps keep her mind in order. That's not a bad idea." I put my pencil lead down on the first sheet of paper in my new notebook and started writing; I thought about each word I wrote down on the paper in my head.

'Dear Diary, this is my first time writing to you. My name is Neku Sakuraba, nice to meet you.' Then I sighed again, "Aw, that's crap," I said; I shook my head, "Oh well." 'I guess I'm supposed to talk about my feelings and stuff, huh?' I asked myself. Then I smiled, 'Well things have been good in my life as of late. As a matter of fact this whole year's been great. After such a long time I finally made some friends, and now we do pretty much everything together.'

I stopped writing for a second, "Huh, maybe I should write down everything that's happened so far. Who knows I might end up losing my memories again." Then I went back to writing, 'After winning the Reaper's Game Shiki, Rhyme, Beat, and I returned to the RG and picked up right where we left off in our lives after we died. However, we noticed a weird thing happened when we came back to life. Nobody remembered us dying in the first place, but I guess I can see why that would have to happen. I mean hey, if a dead person suddenly came back to life I'd be pretty wigged out too. But still it's pretty weird knowing that you died, it kind of makes you appreciate life more I guess.'

I started frowning as I continued to write down my past experiences over the year. 'One thing made me kind of depressed though. In the three weeks that I was involved in the Reaper's Game I was told that there were many other players besides me that were fighting for a second chance at life, even though the Game itself turned out to be rigged. However, me and my friends are the only ones that made it out of the Game, no one else did. Sota and Nao were two other Players in the Game, but they didn't get a chance to come back because they died before the Game was finished; as a matter of fact those two were the only other Players that I met, who knows how many other people lost their lives in that fucked up contest. That one fact is what bugs me though.'

'Rhyme, she died in the Game too, but she was given a second chance at life anyway. I guess Josh did that as some form of retribution, but that doesn't make up for what he did though. He let so many people die because of Shades' Game, if Josh had the power to bring back Rhyme then why couldn't he bring back the others too?' Then I sighed, "I still can't forgive him."

I flipped to the next page of my note book and started writing again. 'After we all met up again at the Hachiko statue the four of us started spending a whole lot of time together. I think Shiki really took the lessons she learned in the Game to heart. This whole year I haven't heard her mention anything about being plain or hating herself, but even if she was just thinking it I could still pick up on it. I kind of have this sixth sense with Shiki. Anyway, her and Eri are best friends again and are back to designing clothes. I think those two will really be trend setters in Shibuya. Beat and Rhyme are really close now; Beat told me that he's even closer with his parents now, they still get on his nerves but hey so do mine. Beat also told me that being a pro-skateboarder now really is his ambition, so now at least he has some kind of dream that he can hang on to. Rhyme is still trying to figure out what her dream is; but it turns that it was like Beat said, Rhyme is really smart. Shiki keeps saying that Rhyme should be a teacher, and I can definitely see her doing that, she is really kind and caring. As for me I'm still not sure what my dream is, but I've been showing an interest in writing lately which is why my parents got me this notebook. Who knows maybe I'll become a traveling novelist, that way I can really expand my world view.'

I flipped to the next notebook page and continued writing. 'Later on, fall classes started back up at Shibuya High much to my dismay, but it turned out that Shiki went there too so it was a little cool that I would have someone to talk to at least. I'm in Class A and she's in Class B for tenth grade. Shiki even introduced me to Eri during break one day; although I kind of wish she hadn't because the moment Eri found out that I was Shiki's friend she teased the hell out of us. Now every time me or Shiki even hang out together Eri shows up and it's "wedding bells" this and "lovey dovey" that. Sometimes it really gets on my nerves.'

I smiled, 'But I kind of have to put up with Eri's teasing now because as of Christmas last year, Shiki and I officially started dating. Sometimes I can't believe it myself, I mean the first time I met Shiki I thought she was nothing but a weird stalker, and now that weird stalker is my girlfriend.' I chuckled a little, 'I remember the day that we first hooked up. She was so cute.' I chuckled again, "I can finally say that without feeling embarrassed, well think it at least," I said aloud. Then I started thinking about that very day.

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><p><strong>Flashback:<strong>

_The Hachiko Statue, Shibuya-December 24, 2008, 8:00 P.M. (December 24, 2008, 6:00 A.M. EST)._

It was freezing. I was wearing a long-sleeved shirt, a sweater, long pants, my hiking boots, and my black leather jacket and I was still cold. 'I really did not want to go out tonight. Shiki better have a good explanation for calling me out here this late,' I thought as I was holding my arms in place to keep myself from shivering. After an agonizing thirty minute walk from my apartment in the bitter cold I finally arrived at our now permanent meeting place. I stood directly in front of Hachiko and I saw no sign of Shiki, even though she was the one that called me out there. I pulled my phone out of my pants' pocket and checked out my recent text messages. My last text was from Shiki a little over an hour ago. I read over the text once again.

_Hey um, can you meet me at the usual spot at 8:00 sharp. There's something I really need to talk to you about. It's really important. See ya then_. _– Shiki, 6:45 P.M._

I stuffed my phone back into my pocket and looked around me again. "Shiki where the fuck are you?" I said through gritted teeth. "It's fucking freezing out here."

Then I heard very loud panting and then a loud voice that screamed, "Neku!" I looked to the pathway that lead to the subway terminal and saw a familiar brown-haired girl with glasses. She seemed to be running like the wind and then she skidded to an abrupt stop right in front of me. She placed her hands on her knees and continued to pant. "Sorry…I'm…late," she said through each hard breath she took.

I half-smiled and half-frowned at her, and then I grunted. "Idiot, if you're going to be late for something that you schedule then the least you can do is call ahead." She was only two minutes late, but like I said it was fucking freezing. After a couple more seconds Shiki finally recovered and she stood up right again. I was kind of surprised at her outfit choice; she wore a set of long purple thermal pants, a puffy pink jacket, a yellow scarf, and a set of pink earmuffs. Her face was beyond red from running and that outfit didn't help at all; I was actually kind of afraid that she was going collapse from heat stroke, which would have been a sight considering how cold it was. "Are you okay?" I asked out of concern.

Her face was still very red but she nodded nonetheless. "I'm fine, again really sorry, but um, well I uh…" she started mumble to herself. Then she looked down at the ground and started doing her usual nervous fidgeting.

I waited a moment and then I spoke up. "Hey Shiki, you said there's something important that you wanted to talk about. What is it?"

Shiki looked up from the ground but she didn't look at me.

"Shiki, what is it? You can tell me anything."

She stared at me with those big brown eyes of hers. "Can I…really tell you anything Neku?" she asked.

I was confused at her question. "Well yeah, of course you can. I mean we're friends right?"

She bit down on her lip. "Yeah, we're just friends," she said hesitantly. Then she started to fidget again and she grabbed one the zipper handle on one of the pockets of her jacket, and then she zipped and unzipped it over and over again. After that zipping sound filled the mute air around us for a couple of moments she unzipped her pocket for the last time and then she pulled something out of it. It was a white envelope. She looked down at the ground again and then bowed and handed the envelope to me. "Here!" she yelped when she presented the envelope.

I was a little taken back, but after a few seconds passed I reached for the envelope and took it from Shiki's outstretched hands. I examined it thoroughly; on the front of the envelope the words "To Neku" were written and the envelope was sealed with a red heart-shaped sticker. I looked back up at Shiki and her eyes were narrowed on the envelope. "Can I…?" I was about to ask her if I could open the envelope but she cut me off when she nodded furiously. I unsealed the envelope and fished out a scrap of folded paper that was inside. I carefully unfolded the paper and read what was written on it. There were only two words on the paper, but they had a lot of meaning behind them.

_Sukidesu. Tsukiattekudasai._

_(I love you, can we start seeing each other?)_

My mouth went agape at the words on the paper. I looked up at Shiki again and she was staring at me. "Is it okay?" she asked. "I mean…I know we've only known each other for a couple of months now, but I…" I cut her off.

I nodded, "Yes."

Shiki was confused. "What?" she asked.

"Yes, I accept. I love you too," I simply said.

Shiki's mouth went agape this time. "Really? Are you sure? I mean I'm not really that great of a choice as a…I mean I didn't expect you to say yes."

I shook my head, "Why wouldn't I say yes." Then I looked down at the ground, "Before I met you, life seemed gray, you brought color into it. You're nice, cheerful, and you bring a smile to anyone you meet. I love you," I said. I looked up at her again, "But seriously Kokuhaku?" I laughed. "That is seriously old-fashioned."

Shiki blushed, "Shut up. You know I like old-fashioned things."

I laughed again, "Yeah I know, but the reason I'm saying that is because I kind of already thought we were going out."

Shiki's blush deepened, "You…you did?"

I rubbed the back of my head. "Yeah I mean we always hang out and…I don't know being with you makes me feel funny. Like I can't breathe sort of…I don't know how to describe it!" I snapped. "I just love you."

Shiki started fidgeting again, "But why do you love me? I mean I'm not pretty I…" I cut her off when I smashed my lips into hers.

I just kissed her for a few seconds and then we both separated. Shiki's face seemed to be as red as a tomato. "There, is that enough reason to convince you that I love you?" I asked.

She simply nodded.

"Good, and for the last time don't put yourself down like that. Shiki is a wonderful girl. She's the girl I love, don't go changing her."

She nodded again, "Okay." Then Shiki ran up to me and pulled me into a hug. I wrapped my arms around her and returned the gesture. We just stayed like that for a while in each other's arms, and then afterwards we took a walk together around Shibuya and saw the Christmas lights. For the first time that night I didn't feel cold.

**Flashback End**

* * *

><p>I smiled again and then I looked on the right side of my desk at the picture frame that I had. It was of photo of me and Shiki that was taken at New Year's. We were both smiling and looked like we were having a lot of fun. Shiki had her arms wrapped around my shoulders and I had my hands held together with her hands. I smiled at the photo, "Thanks for the present Shiki," I said. I closed my notebook and then I looked up at my wall clock, it was now 11:30. My eyes went wide at the sight of the clock. "Oh shit, I was supposed to meet Shiki half an hour ago." I rushed to my closet to find something I could wear.<p>

I grunted at the sight of my closet. I hadn't done laundry this week yet so I didn't have any clean clothes. I didn't even have a laundry basket so all my clothes were just lying in the closet in a huge pile. I dug through my huge pile of dirty laundry looking for something that I could wear that would look decent enough for Shiki. If I showed up in an old raged outfit Shiki would demand that we go to a store and buy me a new outfit, worst of all she would always insist on paying for it. It was fucking humiliating; she treated me like a little kid every time that happened. I dug through the whole pile and finally found a decent enough outfit, and then I found something very odd at the bottom of the clothes pile. It was my headphones. I had barely worn them after I was given a second chance at life; I didn't need to block out the noise of Shibuya anymore. 'That's really weird, I can't remember the last time I saw these things, much less wore them. They must have been in the closet the whole time,' I thought.

Then all of a sudden I heard a weird buzzing sound. I looked around my apartment, searching for the source of the sound when I realized that it was coming from my old headphones. I leaned in closer to hear the buzzing and I thought that I could hear a voice coming out of the buzzing. I put the headphones on and I heard the buzzing sound at full blast; the sound was almost deafening. I leaned over in pain as the noise penetrated my ears. Then the sound died down a little and I could hear it. I was right; there was a voice in the buzzing. It was very faint but I could still make out what it said; "It's time for a game!" the voice said over and over again. The voice sounded raspy like the person who owned the voice was weak and panicky. The voice freaked me out so I took of the headphones and then threw them on the ground. Then I felt a vibration beneath my feet, and the vibration spread all throughout the whole apartment.

I was seriously getting freaked out, and then something else happened. A flash appeared outside the window and then soon the flash enveloped the whole room. "What the fuck is going on?" I screamed. This whole thing was freaking me the fuck out, and then almost as quickly as it came the flash disappeared and the vibrations stopped. I was shaking from the experience; "What the hell was that?" I looked back up at the wall clock again and it was now 11:40. I gasped, "I don't have time for this! Shiki's going to be pissed at me as it is for being late for our lunch date." I quickly grabbed the clothes that I picked out from the pile and hastily put them on. Then I grabbed my cellphone and ran out of the apartment with lightning speed.

* * *

><p><strong>Regular POV-<strong>

* * *

><p><em>Sakuragaoka-cho, Shibuya-August 2, 2009, 11:40 A.M. (August 1, 2009, 9:40 P.M. EST). <em>

What Neku didn't notice was that his apartment had changed when he left. There was no notebook on his desk, and the picture of him and Shiki was gone and had been replaced of one with him, Eri, and Joshua. Things were different.

* * *

><p><strong>Intro Song: "Decoded" by Paramore <strong>

* * *

><p>"How can I decide what's right?"<p>

(Neku is running down the streets of Shibuya in his new outfit.)  
>"When you're clouding up my mind."<p>

(While Neku runs all locations in Shibuya are shown.)  
>"I can't win your losing fight all the time."<p>

(Neku stops running when he reaches the Hachiko Statue and sees Josh waving at him.)  
>"How can I ever own what's mine."<p>

(Neku tries to attack Josh but then he sees an image of Josh dying in a car accident in his head, and then Neku can't go through with his attack.)  
>"When you're always taking sides."<p>

(Then Eri reaches around Neku and pulls him into a kiss. Afterwards Neku is confused and he runs away from Josh and Eri, who are surprised to see him acting strange.)  
>"But you won't take away my pride."<p>

(Neku continues to run until he sees Madoka, who is about to be hit by a car.)  
>"No, not this time."<p>

(Neku reacts to the situation and pushes Madoka out of the way just in time and neither one of them gets hit.)  
>"Not this time."<br>(Then Neku sees that Madoka is holding a Player Pin.)  
>"How did we get here?"<p>

(Noise begin to appear around Neku and Madoka , and Neku forms a contract Madoka to help fight them off.)  
>"Well I used to know you so well."<p>

(Neku and Madoka defeat the Noise one by one.)  
>"How did we get here?"<p>

(When the Noise are gone, Madoka smiles at Neku and he sees Shiki's face in Madoka.)  
>"Well I think I know."<br>(The scene changes to Kazuma as he is going head to head with a hooded Reaper.)  
>"The truth is hiding in your eyes."<p>

(Kazuma's hands light up and he lets loose his power of Psych Fusion.)  
>"And it's hanging on your tongue."<p>

(Rin sees Kazuma in his fight and is amazed at Kazuma's power.)  
>"Just boiling in my blood."<p>

(Kazuma sees Rin watching him and is surprised that someone can actually see him.)  
>"But you think that I can't see."<p>

(Then Kazuma and Rin see Neku and Madoka, and they smile and wave at them.)  
>"What kind of man that you are."<p>

(The scene changes again to Joshua watching Neku from a nearby rooftop.)  
>"If you're a man at all."<p>

(Michael is standing behind Joshua and is watching him carefully.)  
>"Well I will figure this one out."<p>

(The scene changes to split screen and shows that Raphael is also watching Josh.)  
>"On my own. I'm screaming "I love you so."<p>

(The scene changes back to Neku and the gang and shows them coming head to head with the Tza twins.)  
>"On my own . My thoughts you can't decode."<p>

(The twins are too powerful for Neku and the others, so all the other Players lend them their power so they can produce Psych Fusion.)  
>"How did we get here?"<p>

(The scene changes again to show Neku alone walking down a shadowy path which has Destros at the end of it.)  
>"Well I used to know you so well, yeah."<p>

(Destros is riding on the back of his horse, Raz, and his points his Bow and Arrow at Neku.)  
>"How did we get here?"<p>

(Destros' arrow flies towards Neku but is deflected by Kanon before it can hit him.)  
>"Well I think I know."<br>(The scene changes again to show Eri and Kanon forming Sync.)  
>"Do you see what we've done?"<p>

(The scene changes back to show Kanon breaking Destros' arrow.)  
>"We've gone and made such fools of ourselves."<p>

(Destros disappears but as he goes Neku sees an image of Beat on Destros.)  
>"Do you see what we've done?"<p>

(Neku chases after Destros but he falls behind.)  
>"We've gone and made such fools of ourselves."<br>(The scene changes again to show Kazuma kicking the crud out the Noise and Rin struggling to fight them off.)  
>"Yeah...!"<br>(Then Josh appears in the fight to help Rin, but he doesn't fare much better.)  
>"How did we get here?"<p>

(The scene shifts to show Neku and Madoka fighting off Noise and Eri joins them to fight as well.)  
>"Well I used to know you so well, yeah, yeah."<p>

(When the noise are defeated Minamimoto shows up again and tries to destroy Neku, but he is sopped by Hanekoma and Kanon.)  
>"How did we get here?"<p>

(Then Raphael and Michael show up to kill Neku and Josh, but they are held back by Leo who jumps in at the last moment.)  
>"Well I used to know you so well."<br>(Leo Syncs with Kazuma and they become even more powerful.)  
>"I think I know."<p>

(Raphael sends out an army of Angels and Reapers to fight the others, while Michael summons Lucifer to battle with him.)  
>"I think I know ."<br>(Leo is able to push back Raphael and Kazuma manages to kick Michael's ass.)  
>"Ooh, there is something."<p>

(However, Lucifer is way too strong for anyone to take on.)  
>"I see in you."<p>

(Even so, Neku charges at him and Josh backs him up.)  
>"It might kill me."<p>

(They combine their power and there is a big flash.)  
>"I want it to be true."<p>

(Neku looks into the dark and the only thing he can see is the picture of him and Shiki.)

* * *

><p>AN: Okay that is chapter two and the intro song. I love Alternative music so I had to put this song in there, because it describes what this story is mainly about. Now, if you read through the images that are meant to go along with the lyrics you probably saw the some new names, which are the names of the OCs that I've created, but I still need more.

Okay now without further ado here is the fan-made OC sheet. If you want to submit an OC send a PM to me with the following information in order please.

OC Requirement Sheet

Name- (Can also be a nickname.)

Gender- (Male or Female)

Physical Appearances- (What do they look like?)

What they are- (Living person, Player, Reaper, Angel)

Personality- (How they usually act.)

Dream- (Do they have one? If so, what is it?)

Psychic Ability- (What can they do? Describe in detail.)

Primary Outfit- (What they usually wear.)

Secondary Outfit- (What they wear on special occasions.)

Partner- (This one is only for **Players**. I'm picking partners, but what is the personality of the partner you want them to have.)

How they died- (Again, only for **Players**.)


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Alright so far only one person's responded about wanting to make an OC, tick-tock people. I'm only going to keep up the offer until chapter six so if you want to add your own personal OC to my story PM me, and it's okay to send in more than one. So anyway here's chapter three.

Disclaimer: Tragically, I do not own the World Ends with You.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Three: A Messed Up World<strong>

* * *

><p><strong>Regular POV-<strong>

* * *

><p><em>?, ?-August 2, 2009, 11:45 A.M. (August 1, 2009, 9:45 P.M. EST).<em>

The place was unknown. It was very dark so only glimpses of people could be made out. There were only two people in the location right now. One person was a man with strawberry-blonde hair which went down past his earlobes; he had brown colored eyes with rings of red around his pupils. The man was dressed in a pair of blue jeans, black boots, a jean vest, and a black shirt with a design of a cross that went through a skull. The only other person in the area was standing on the left side of the strawberry-blonde man, he was a figure that was draped in a dark black robe, so his identity could not be made out; the figure also wore a black metallic chain across his neck which a design of a skull on it, and he also had two black skeletal-like wings protruding from his back.

The strawberry-blonde man looked at the hooded figure and scanned over his features thoroughly. "So you know the plan then?" the blonde man asked.

The hooded figure nodded. "Yes sir, you have no need to worry about me. I will accept this special assignment and will fulfill it without any hesitation."

The strawberry-blonde man seemed unconvinced. "Are you sure there will be no problem? I can understand if you are filling doubtful of your abilities. After all, your target's Record shows that he has a knack for making trouble. He certainly was a handful for my little brother," the blonde man said. "However, considering you Record I might be underestimating you; your skills of Erasure are impressive to say the least. I hope you don't take the fact that you're not being able to participate in the Game as a sign that we have no faith in you."

The hooded figure shook his head. "No I understand the target is a nuisance which will be dealt with; his Point Reward is the stuff of legends. On my honor as a Bounty Hunter I swear that his Erasure will be swift, and I will be sure to make it as agonizing as you wish."

The strawberry-blonde man smiled. "Now that is a deal," he said. The blonde man put a finger to his chin as if he was contemplating something. "Hmm," he hummed aloud, "By defeating my brother he embarrassed our kind," then he smiled like a demon, "So make it as agonizing as physically possible."

The hooded figure nodded, "With pleasure," he said, and then the hooded figure disappeared.

The strawberry-blonde man continued to smile. "This should be fun," he said.

* * *

><p><strong>Neku's POV-<strong>

* * *

><p><em>The Hachiko Statue, Shibuya-August 2, 2009, 11:50 A.M. (August 1, 2009, 9:50 P.M. EST).<em>

I was wearing a red sport shirt that had a black stripe outlined with white going down the middle of it, and a pair of dark-green cargo shorts. I was also wearing my old yellow sweatband on my arm and my old black shoes. Hopefully that would be enough to appease Shiki's sense of fashion; otherwise I would get nothing but blabber from her on that subject. However, I couldn't think about that right now, I had to get to Hachiko, so I left my thoughts and began to run faster than physically possible. I was relieved when I saw the familiar stone dog in my sights; I had done the impossible and made it to the statue in ten minutes flat. I skidded to a screeching halt right in front of the statue. I gasped for breath, desperately trying to pull air into my lungs, and then I wiped the sweat from my brow and looked around Hachiko Square for any sight of Shiki. My girlfriend was nowhere to be found. I stomped my foot, "Dammit!" I cursed. "Don't tell me she went back home. Ugh, it's going to take some serious apologizing to get her to forget this," I said as I reached into my shorts' pocket and pulled out my cell. I frantically mashed the buttons to dial Shiki's number and then when the phone started ringing I pressed it to my ear. "Oh, come on, come on pick up."

Finally the dial tone stopped and then the phone picked up. "Yes!" I shouted. "Hey Shiki it's me. Look I know I'm really late, I just lost track of time. But I'm so sorry…" I was cut off when I heard another dial tone on the other line.

"We're sorry the number you have dialed has been disconnected or is no longer in service. Please check the number and try your call again." It was an automatic recording.

I stared at the number I had typed into the phone and saw that I had not dialed the wrong number. I did in fact dial Shiki's cell number. "What the hell?" I asked myself. 'How could Shiki's line be disconnected? Did she lose her phone again? Damn scatterbrain, here I am trying to apologize and she…' my thoughts were interrupted again when my cell vibrated. I had gotten a text message. I flipped to my message screen and look up my most recent texts, and then I clicked on the one that I had just gotten a few seconds ago.

_Look Behind You._

I did just as the message said for me to do, hoping that I would be greeted by a face with a pair of familiar brown eyes hidden behind a pair of glasses, but instead I was greeted with the sight of another person. A boy with gray eyes and gray hair was leaning on the side of the Hachiko Statue. The boy wore a white dress shirt which was not tucked into his pair of black pants; he also wore a pair of white tennis shoes, and a silver necklace which hung loosely across his neck. I recognized the boy's face immediately. It was Joshua; as in Joshua the Composer, the same Joshua that tried to destroy Shibuya, the Joshua that killed me and started the Reaper's Game. Yeah, it was that Joshua.

Josh simply waved and smiled at me. "Hey Neku, didn't expect you to be the first one here. Aren't you usually last?" he asked me and then he began to laugh.

My eyes went wide and I turned pale as a ghost. My mouth stood agape at the boy that I saw in front of me. 'Josh…Josh, it's him, it's really him,' I thought as I was trying to make sense of this situation.

Josh stared at me with a confused look on his face, and then he walked up to me and waved his hand in front of my face to try to get my attention. "Yoo-hoo, Earth to Neku," he said. "God, I didn't think you would be that shocked that you beat me, but it's no surprise that you did; I mean I saw you on the way over here. You were really booking it man."

I just continued to stay silent. 'How…how did he get back? Why is he back?' I asked myself.

Josh resorted to snapping his fingers in front of my face. "Yo, Neku are you still with me buddy! Come on snap out of it! I don't want to have to take you to the hospital to get your head checked!" he shouted in my face.

I didn't know what to do. I never thought I would see Josh again so I was content with never forgiving him, but seeing the person who fucked with me and so many others for a gag again after all this time, it just triggered something. Anger…no, more like pure hatred. I grunted and then charged at Josh and pushed him into the Hachiko Statue hard. "You son of a bitch!" I yelled at him and shot a glare his way that would probably burn a whole in his head.

Josh look like he was both confused and scared. "Ne-Neku, dude what's wrong?"

"Shut up!" I yelled as burrowed my hands in his shoulders and pushed him back into the statue again. "What the hell is the matter with you? You think that after the hell you put me through that you can just come back like nothing happened?! I trusted you!" Then my eyes went wide again and then changed back to normal size and I loosened my grip on Josh's shoulders. "I…I still trust you," I said as I backed away from Josh.

Josh just continued to stare at me with confusion and I could tell that he was a little scared from what had just gone down.

I rubbed the back of my head. "Look I'm sorry, I overreacted…I just…I don't know if I can forgive you yet," I said.

Then Josh's eyes widened and a sense of insight overcame him. "Oh, that's what this is about," he said and then he chuckled and smiled at me. "Okay I promise, I won't hit on Eri anymore even if it just a joke. I promise there's nothing going on between me and Eri; I just kissed her as a gag man."

I was confused by Josh's response. "What the hell are you talking abo..." I was cut off when I felt someone grab me from behind and I jumped at the sudden contact.

Then I heard a feminine laugh coming from behind me. "Someone's jumpy today," the person said.

I turned around and saw a red-haired girl with brown eyes. The girl wore a yellow and white satin Capri top, a low-cut tan denim skirt, a pair of yellow flip flops, and a gold heart-shaped locket; she also wore a large yellow and white hat that matched her top. I recognized the girl as well. It was Eri. "Er-Eri? What are y…" Eri cut me off again by suddenly kissing me. My eyes went so wide that I thought they would burst out of my sockets. My girlfriend's best friend just kissed me.

After a couple of moments Eri released me from her grasp, leaving me in total shock. Eri snickered, "That's to prove that you're the only one for me Nekki," Eri said as she pulled me into another hug. "I swear, that idiot Yoshi was the one who kissed me, if you're going to be mad at anyone be mad at him," she said in my ear. I didn't really hear her though; I was still stuck on the part where she kissed me and the part where she called me Nekki.

Josh walked up to the two of us. "Eri, you don't have to worry about a thing, me and Neku already cleared everything up. He cares a lot about you too, I thought he was about to kill me for a second back there."

Eri pushed back from me a little and then smiled at me. "You were going to kill your best friend over me," she frowned a little after she said that. "That sounded pretty awful coming out of my mouth didn't it," Eri said and then she laughed.

I finally came back to reality for a second and realized that things were definitely fucked up. 'This is crazy, Josh is back and he doesn't remember why I'm mad at him, and Eri and I are…oh my God!' my mind was about to burst. I had to get control of myself and figure some things out. I needed to find Shiki. I took a deep breath to calm my nerves and then I said, "Eri, where is Shiki? I need to talk with her."

Eri half-frowned and half-smiled when I said that; "Where is Shiki?" she repeated my question. "You mean, Shiki Misaki?" Eri asked.

I was confused by her question, "Duh, do you know any other Shikis."

Eri put her hand to my forehead. "Neku are feeling okay, we haven't talked about Shiki in a while."

I pushed her hand away. "I'm fine, but I need to speak with Shiki. You're her best friend so you have to know where she is right now, I know she would've called you to complain about me being late; it's classic Shiki. Now please tell me, did she go back home because I missed our date."

Then Josh walked up to me with a look of concern on his face, and then he put his hand on my forehead. "You do feel a little warm, are you sure you're alright man?" he asked.

I was starting to get annoyed with Eri and Josh. "For the last time I'm fine, now please tell me where Shiki is?!"

Then Eri looked at the ground, and then after a few moments she looked back up at me. "Neku you were there remember. You called 911," she said in a low tone. Then I saw her shed a tear, "You saw Shiki die in that traffic accident."

That was the final straw. Shiki was dead. That couldn't be, I had just seen her yesterday. I started to shake and then I just ran. I ran away from Hachiko and from Eri and Josh. I just had to find Shiki. 'It can't be true! I won't accept it!' I exclaimed in my head as I ran towards Scramble Crossing. On my way there I heard Eri and Josh calling out to me, there was concern in their voices but I couldn't go back to them right now. I had to know what was going on. 'If this is some kind of joke Shiki's pulling on me because I was late, then it is going too far,' I thought to myself as I headed towards East Shibuya. However, I had some lagging feeling in the pit of my stomach that was telling me to head back to the statue because I would not like the answer that I would get. Still I had to know what the fuck was going on.

* * *

><p><em>East Shibuya-August 2, 2009, 12:05 P.M. (August 1, 2009, 10:05 P.M. EST).<em>

I ran and ran until finally I reached Shiki's apartment building. I raced up the main steps and then pushed the buzzer labeled with the Misaki's apartment number. I held my finger on the buzzer and spoke into the speaker, "Shiki!" I called out. "Shiki, are you there?! It's Neku; I need to talk to you!" I shouted. There was no response over the intercom. I grunted, 'What now?' I thought to myself. Then I saw the doorman come out of the building and stand at his post, I walked up to him and just blurted out, "Excuse me, but do you know when the Misakis in apartment 320 will be home."

The doorman stared at me with confusion in his eyes. "Apartment 320? Son, no one's lived there for almost a year."

I stared at the doorman with disbelief, "What?"

Then the doorman thought something over, "But come to think of it, I do think the old tenants were named Misaki." Then a flash of insight overcame him, "Yes that's right they did use to live there, but I think they moved out of the city after their daughter died." That last comment struck a chord in me. "Do you want me to find out where their new address is for you? I think we still forward their mail."

I looked at the ground and shook my head, "No that's fine," I said, "Thanks anyway." I walked down the steps of the apartment building and then walked down the street. 'They're gone? How?' I asked myself. 'I just saw Shiki yesterday? How can she be dead, she was given a second chance and…' my eyes widened and a thought occurred to me. 'Wait a minute, the Game. That has to be it; this has something to do with the stupid Reaper Game. Shiki told me she died in a traffic accident, but how is that possible. Did I time-travel or something?' I asked myself.

Then I shook my head, 'No that wouldn't explain Josh and…Eri,' I still couldn't get the kiss out of my head. 'Besides time-travel is just science fiction…but then again I was brought back to life after being dead, so maybe I should be a little more open to "other" possibilities. But if something weird did happen to us then why haven't I been affected, I mean Shiki wasn't the only one who played the Game. Me, Beat, and Rhyme were also…' my thoughts were cut off again when I thought about the Bito siblings. "Oh no, don't tell me?!" I then turned around and started running in the opposite direction to Love Hotel Hill.

* * *

><p><em>Love Hotel Hill, Shibuya-August 2, 2009, 12:20 P.M. (August 1, 2009, 10:20 P.M. EST).<em>

As I entered the dirty street a bad feeling overcame me. 'Love Hotel Hill, every time I come here I get a bad feeling, it must be because it's a Red Light District,' I thought to myself. I always hated coming out here, but it was worth it to hang out with two of my best friends. I slowly walked through the street and noticed that not many people were out at this time; then again it was a Red Light District so it usually didn't get wild until night. Soon, I rounded the top of the hill and made my way to the Bito's little hobble. They owned a whole building to themselves although it was small; still that was impressive considering it was Shibuya, it must have been really cheap considering it was in a bad neighborhood. I reached the door of the Bito's household and I rang the doorbell furiously, I had to know if Beat and Rhyme were still here.

It took a couple of moments but I finally heard a response from the door. "Whoever's there, you had better calm the fuck down or I'm calling the cops!" an angry voice came from inside the house. The door was opened up an inch, revealing a latch stopping the door from opening completely. A blue eye poked out from the crack in the door, the eye gave me a once over and then the person spoke again. "Look I don't know what you're selling but I ain't buying, no solicitors!" the person said. The door was about to shut again but I stopped it just in time.

"Wait! I'm not selling anything, this is about something important," I said.

"I'm listening," the unknown person replied.

I recognized the voice…it was her voice. I stared at the eye strangely and then I whispered, "Rhyme, is that you?"

The door closed again and the eye disappeared, and then I heard the sound of several different locks being undone on the other side of the door. A few seconds later the door opened completely and revealed a slender girl on the short side. She had blonde hair that was tinted black on her fridges, black fingernails, and blue eyes that looked depressing. The girl wore a black long sleeve shirt with a white design of a skull and cross-bones on it. She also wore a pair of blue jeans, a large black beanie with a skull stitched on it, and a pair of black and yellow shoes. She looked different but I still knew it was her, this girl was Rhyme. "I don't go that by name anymore…it's just Raimu now," Rhyme simply said.

I smiled and rushed into her, forcing her into a hug. "Oh Rhyme thank God, I thought you and Beat were gone too, but you're still here."

Rhyme grunted and pushed me away from her. "What the hell's your problem weirdo?!" She yelled at me.

I was confused, "Rhyme don't you recognize me? It's me, Neku."

Rhyme smiled and then started to snicker. "Neku? Like a cat?" she asked in between her snickering.

I thought she was just playing a joke on me. "Rhyme come on snap out of it," I said, "We don't have time to play games, something's happened and now Shiki's dead!" I shouted.

Then Rhyme looked confused, "Shiki, who's that? And more importantly why should I give a damn?" she said as she was about to close the door back on me, "Nice talking with you weirdo, now buh-bye."

I put my foot in the door to keep her from shutting it. "Rhyme this isn't funny!" I yelled at her, and then I sighed. "You know what? Just let me speak to Beat, I can't believe I'm saying this, but I think he'll make more sense than you do right now."

Rhyme frowned at me. "First of all, I told you I don't go by that name anymore, it's just Raimu now, is that so hard for you to understand? Second, how do you know that name, the only one who ever really called me that was my brother? Third, why do you keep saying you want to speak to my brother, if you want to talk to the dead why don't go to a damn psychic or something? And lastly, why do you keep annoying the hell out of me; I just want to be left alone, can you get that through your thick skull? Huh you freaky, stalkerish, name-sounding like a cat weirdo!" Rhyme slammed the door in my face and I heard the bolts lock up again.

A sense of dread filled my entire body and shook my very core. I need some hope, some hope that this whole situation wasn't really happening. I slowly walked away from the Bito household and then I broke into a run up the street. I don't think that I was thinking clearly at that point, I didn't even really know where I was running too.

* * *

><p><em>Spain Hill, Shibuya-August 2, 2009, 12:50 P.M. (August 1, 2009, 10:50 P.M. EST).<em>

I just kept running and running until I couldn't feel my feet anymore, and then I stopped and ducked into a nearby alleyway. I leaned against one of the walls that surrounded me, and then I just slipped to the cold ground below me. That's when I just completely broke down, I could feel the gravity of the whole situation finally sinking into my fiber, and it was really painful. 'Shiki's gone, Beat's gone, and Rhyme might as well be gone too,' I thought to myself. 'Josh is here and it seems like he's clueless, Eri is…my girlfriend. What the hell is happening?!' I screamed inside my mind. Then I just started crying. I hardly ever cry, I think the last time I had cried was when I beat the Game, but those were tears of joy and these were tears of sorrow. 'Why can it never be me?!'

It was always someone else; I always ended up losing someone important to me every time I get close to them. I was like a curse. I had forgotten what it felt like to think that way, it's just like before when I blocked out the noise. I had broken down my protective walls so I could rejoin the world and I ended up losing some of the most important people in my life. 'Why did I think that things would be different this time?' I asked myself. 'It's just like when I lost him!' Then I opened my eyes and I realized something, 'Wait; lost who?' I asked myself. I knew the reason that I first shut myself off from the world was because something bad happened; the only thing is that I couldn't remember what happened. This was the first recollection that I had of that event. I couldn't remember why I had forgotten the event in the first place, but now I had a lead on what it was. I lost someone else, and apparently it was a "him".

Then I stopped crying and dried up my tears. 'I can't really remember but I think I've been through this before,' I said to myself. 'And that means that I can deal, I've dealt with this kind of thing before so I can deal.' I lifted myself up off the ground and then I walked out of the alley. 'Enough blubbering and feeling sorry for myself, I have to find out what's going on. If certain things in my life are different then maybe other things are as well. First thing's first, I have to find out more about what's going.' I had a plan now and that was good, I was thinking rationally again. When I exited the alley I found myself in Spain Hill. I had traveled a long way.

I looked up and down the crowded street around me. 'Where to go first? My apartment? Or maybe I should go to Shinjuku and see my parents? They might be able to tell me what's going on. Or maybe I should just go back to see Eri and Josh, if I claim that…I don't know…that I have amnesia or something, maybe I can get them to tell me everything that's happened recently.' While I was busy coming up with ideas I walked down the street and passed an electronic ticker that said the date and time. I looked at the ticker, 'Okay well at least I know it's not time-travel, it's the same date and everything. So a parallel universe, I guess?' I was really not that into Sci-Fi.

Then I felt something…I couldn't describe it, but I felt like something bad was about to happen. I turned around and looked up and down the streets of Spain Hill. I scanned many faces and then I saw someone that stood out to me. There was a little girl who was walking in the middle of the road all alone. By the looks of her, she couldn't have been more than eight. She had short brown hair and lavender-colored eyes. The girl wore a white jacket with a black fuzz outline on it, which was worn over a pink and light-blue horizontal striped shirt; she also wore a light-blue skirt, knee-high socks that matched her shirt, white shoes with a pink stripe over them, and a white knit-hat which was modeled after a kitten. At first glance I could tell that here was something odd about this girl, but I couldn't put my finger on why exactly she was special.

The little girl was walking slowly in the middle of the street, aimlessly passing by other people who paid her no heed. 'I wonder if she's lost,' I thought, 'Maybe I should go ask her if she needs help.' I heard a loud screeching sound coming from my left so I looked away from the girl for a second, and then I saw a car coming down the road at a fast pace. The car showed no sign whatsoever of slowing down, the driver behind the wheel must have been drunk. If he could not see a girl who was walking right in the middle of the road, that was probably the case. I panicked and looked back at the little girl, "Hey you, are you crazy?! Get out of the road!" I yelled at the girl, but she showed no sign of having heard what I said. However, the other people in Spain Hill heard what I said, and many of them gave me strange looks.

I grunted, 'Ugh, what's wrong with her why doesn't she get out of the way?!' I exclaimed to myself. 'Everyone else had no problem hearing me, why can't she though?! And why is no one near her pulling her out of the way, I mean you'd have to be blind not to notice someone walking in the middle of the road?!' I looked back at the car and saw that it was coming up fast. I grunted again, and then I charged through the scant people that were blocking the road, getting angry replies from them. Then I ran up to the little girl and tackled her to the ground. It wasn't very gentle, but there was no time to do anything else. My tackle had gotten the two of us to a safe distance away from the car as it zoomed by in a mere matter of seconds. After the car left, I quickly got up off of the little girl and checked to see if she was okay. The girl had her eyes closed and she was shaking like a leaf, she was clearly frightened.

I reached down to her and gently poked her arm. "Hey, you can open your eyes now. It's okay, it's all over," I said, trying to sound very gentle.

The little girl slowly opened her eyes and then she simply stared at me for a couple of moments.

I chuckled at her behavior. "Sorry, I had to tackle you, but it was the only way to keep the car from hitting you. Are you okay now?" I asked.

The little girl nodded in reply.

"Okay then," I gave her my hand, "Come on, time to get up now." She stared at my hand for a second and then she grabbed it with her own, and I hoisted her up onto her feet. "Alright, now listen you can't just walk in the middle of the street, I mean don't you know that?"

The girl shook her head.

I sighed, "Well then, that's your parents' fault. Speaking of which, do you know where your mommy and daddy are?" I asked.

The girl didn't reply to me that time, instead she just looked at the ground.

I sighed again, "Okay then," I said, and then I looked around Spain Hill. "There's got to be someone around here who knows who you are." Then I felt something grab my hand, I looked down and I saw that the little girl had taken it.

I looked at her curiously and she looked back at me in the same way. Her lavender eyes stared at me for what seemed like the longest time, and then the girl opened her mouth and spoke. "M-Mad-Madoka," the little girl stuttered in a quiet voice.

I was still confused, "Huh?" I said in reply.

She stuttered again, "M-my…na-name is…Madoka."

I smiled at her, "Okay Madoka, do you know where you live?" I asked.

Madoka paused for a second and then she shook her head. Then I saw her reach into her jacket pocket and pull out something. "Um, O-Oni…Oni-san…d-do you know…what this…what this is?" she asked as she showed me the item.

The color drained from my face when I saw the item that Madoka had. It was a black badge that had a very artistic looking design of a white skull on it. There was no doubt about it. This was the reason why the car driver didn't see her, this was the reason that nobody else tried to pull her out of the road. What Madoka held in her hand was a remnant of my past, the past that me and my friends had conquered. The item that Madoka had was a Player Pin.

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><p>AN: Okay, that's chapter three I hope you guy liked it. It's Thanksgiving Break next week so hopefully I can get two or three more chapters done at once. Please read, review, favorite, and follow; I don't know if the story is any good otherwise. 'Till next time.


	4. Chapter 4

A/N; Alright, some people are starting to get interested in the story. Well as long as people keep favoriting and reviewing the story I'll keep writing it. Also remember I'm still accepting OCs and all are approved, it doesn't matter if it's the first idea that pops into your head I'll accept each and every one, so please send me OCs, please or I don't think the story will make a good impression on you all. I enjoyed playing TWEWY so much, and I want people to enjoy reading this story as well, so for the last time please send me your OCs. That is all.

Disclaimer: No matter how much I wish, I do not own the World Ends with You.

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><p><strong>Chapter Four: Another Day, Another Game<strong>

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><p><strong>Regular POV-<strong>

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><p><em>Shinjuku, Tokyo – July 31, 2009, 12:30 P.M. (July 30, 2009, 10:30 P.M. EST).<em>

There was a large building in the surrounding area. No one was inside, except for one person who was rounding up the large flight of stairs in the building. Loud pants could be heard, reflecting off of the stone walls of the stair steeple. The pants were coming from the very top of the stairs, and were being made by a lone boy. The boy had styled black hair which was frosted on the fridges, and he also had tanned skin and green eyes. He wore a blue hoodie over a yellow shirt with a design of a white comet on it; he also wore a pair of black pants, a silver skull-shaped earing on his right ear, and a pair of shoes which had a design of a lightning bolt on them. The boy also carried a green pack on his back. After a few more moments of climbing, he finally made it to roof entrance and kicked open the bolted door. He ran out onto the roof and spooked some birds that were resting there into flying off. The boy ran towards to the very edge of the rooftop and then looked down, he had to be at least five-hundred feet up in the air. The boy slid up his hoodie's right sleeve and checked the time on his black digital watch. It was 12:33.

He reached into the two pockets of his hoodie and pulled out a pair of black gloves and a pair of goggles. The boy slid the gloves on over his hands and put the goggles on over his eyes, and then he flipped the hood of his hoodie over his head. The boy took a deep breath and stepped back a few feet from the edge of the roof. Then he charged straight ahead of him and jumped a clean five feet off of the rooftop, as he jumped a large rumbling sound could be heard coming from behind him. Then a large implosion swallowed the building whole and it started to come crumbling down. Then the boy started falling through the air. After a moment he pulled a chord out of his pack and a large parachute popped out of the top of it. There were words on the top of the parachute that read "Zero Akuma" over the large fabric of the safety device.

The boy laughed at a thunderous volume and shouted, "Woohoohoohoo!" Then the boy yelled at the top of his lungs, "Yeah! You can suck it Tokyo!" You could hear his voice all over the large city that surrounded him, and the large building crumbling behind him served as great ambience. This boy was known as Tokyo's personal daredevil, Zero Akuma. He risks his life in stunts that are both dangerous and stupid, all for the sake of keeping his credit as a daredevil. On the web, he's very popular; there is hardly a single person in Tokyo…no in all of Japan who hasn't heard of the Akuma, the Devil.

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><p><em>?,?-August 2, 2009, 1:10 P.M. (August 1, 2009, 11:10 P.M. EST).<em>

In a secluded and dimly lit area there was a small round table with three chairs pulled out of it. There were three people sitting at the table. One of the people was the strawberry-blonde man; he was looking to his right where one of the other people was. This person was also male and looked to be younger and about a half a foot shorter than the blonde man. This boy had dark brown hair, which drooped down into two single bangs that curved slightly over his eyes; his eyes were blue and had a green ring around the pupils. He wore a white basketball jersey with red trimmings on it, which had the number "01" on it; he also wore a red sweatband on his left wrist, a pair of red and black shoes, and a pair of tan cargo shorts. To the left of the blonde man was a female, who looked to be about the same age and height as the brown-haired boy. The girl had long light-green hair and red eyes. She wore a revealing black top which showed off a fair amount of cleavage, and a black skirt with white polka dots; she also wore white vest coat over her top, a pair of black sandals, and a ruby necklace which hung loosely around her neck. The girl also had black-skeletal wings that protruded out of her back.

The blonde man stared at the brown-haired boy intensely. Then he spoke, "So, have you gone over the announcement?" the blonde man asked.

The brown-haired boy nodded, "I practiced saying it a few times and I think I've got it down pat. One question though. Are we sure this is how we want to go about starting the Game? I mean we're basically calling him out over a message and saying "we fucked with you big time, so come and get us." It doesn't really seem all that smart. I mean, won't that just make him pissed?" he asked.

The blonde man cast another one of his demon-like smiles. "That's precisely what we want; I asked Brother Michael if we could call him out personally. He had no other reply except for, "as long as it gets the job done."

The brown-haired boy shook his head and chuckled a little. "I think you're enjoying your assignment of getting rid of the Winner a little too much, big bro Raphe."

Then the girl with light-green hair spoke up, "I must concur with Leonidas-sama, this whole charade seems a little played out if I may say so myself, Raphael-sama."

The boy named Leonidas smiled at the girl. "Thanks Kanon and you can call me Leo by the way," he said to her, and then he looked back at the man named Raphael. "See big bro, I'm not the only one that thinks this message is basically a death warrant for us."

Raphael narrowed his eyes at Leonidas. "Leonidas, you are my brother and so I respect your opinion, however," then Raphael turned his gaze to Kanon, "I do not care what filthy trash like Reapers have to say on the matter." Kanon lowered her gaze to the table and remained silent. "You are here because you were assigned to be in charge of Patrol for the Game, not to surmise your own thoughts of my work." He narrowed his gaze even lower, "And another thing, have I not told you before that I detest the dialect of your former country," he slammed his fist on the table, "Do not address me in that way ever again."

Leonidas slammed his hands on the table, "Raphe stop putting Kanon down, she's worked very hard to get at the position she is now, so she deserves our respect."

Raphael snickered a little and then replied, "Sometimes, I don't know what goes through your head little brother, being on a first name basis with the Reapers doesn't say a lot for your character, where is your pride?"

Leonidas frowned at Raphael, "I'm going to go ahead and deliver the message to the Players," he simply said. Then he shifted his gaze to Kanon, "Good luck with you assignment," he said as he smiled at her.

Kanon looked up at Leonidas slightly, "Thank you…Lord Leonidas," she hesitated in saying. Then Leonidas left the dimly-lit space, leaving Raphael and Kanon alone.

Raphael shifted his gaze to Kanon and spoke in a terrifying way, "Don't think that I haven't noticed the way you look at him. You're trash, all of you Reapers are, so don't even think about polluting our perfection with your kind." Raphael got up from the table, "You know what your assignment is, gather the rest of your fleet and report to the Head Reaper in Fieldwork, but don't start before the message and the Missions are delivered." Raphael walked away from the table, leaving Kanon alone.

Kanon picked at her ruby necklace and rolled it over in her hands. "I wish I could know what it means to live again," she simply said.

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><p><strong>Neku's POV-<strong>

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><p><em>Inside Mexican Dog. Spain Hill, Shibuya-August 2, 2009, 1:15 P.M. (August 1, 2009, 11:15 P.M. EST).<em>

After I saw Madoka's Player Pin I was confused…well more than confused…actually I was kind of going insane. 'How could this have happened?' I kept asking myself. 'I put the Reaper Game behind me, and now it's back again. I mean, wasn't it supposed to stop when the Composer was beaten…I'm pretty sure I beat Josh, otherwise how would I have gotten my life back?' While I was waiting in line to place my order I kept thinking about how the Game could have started again. 'But come to think of it, when Josh made me play that last game with him, I blacked out. I don't really know if I won or not, I just kind of assumed I did because I woke up and I was alive again.' I looked over to Madoka; she was sitting at a table near the window. 'What about Madoka though? If I won and the Game was finished then why does she have a Player Pin?' She still had the Pin in her hand and she was observing it; back when she asked me what it was I didn't have the heart to tell her.

I looked back towards the front of the line. 'What do I tell her?' I asked myself. 'I can't just tell her that she's dead, she's only eight. At her age she should be playing hopscotch and Double-Dutch, she shouldn't be dead' I sighed to myself, 'If only Shiki were here, she'd know what to do. She was always great with kids.' I got to the front of the line and placed my order, and when I got the food I headed over to Madoka's table. 'Alright, I probably shouldn't tell her she's dead right now, but who knows what she's thinking about. She definitely knows that I know something about what's happened to her, otherwise she wouldn't have asked me about the Pin. Somehow I've just got to tiptoe around the fact that she's dead.'

I laid the tray of food down on the table and Madoka looked up at me. "Hey," I said as I smiled at her, "I didn't know what to get you, so I just got you a plain hotdog. Is that alright?" I asked her.

Madoka simply nodded. She was a very quiet little girl that was for sure.

I sat down at the table chair opposite to Madoka and silently stared at her. She pulled off her kitten knit-hat and put it down on the table, the absence of her hat revealed her short brown hair; she also had a little green barrette on the side of her hair. Madoka grabbed the hotdog that I had gotten for her and started to silently eat it; while she ate Madoka started fiddling with the strings of her hat. There seemed to be an uncomfortable silence between the two of us and I was desperate to break it. I looked to the side of the table and saw Madoka's Pin. I picked up the little badge and held it in my hand. 'I thought I would never see this thing again, and yet it's real, down to CAT's design,' I thought.

Madoka was staring at me while I held the Pin. She put down her hotdog and then opened her mouth and spoke. "You know…what it is…don't you Oni-san?" she asked in that quiet stuttering voice of hers.

I stared into her soft lavender eyes and decided how I should respond. After a moment or so an idea came to me on how to proceed through this awkward moment. "What do you think it is?" I asked her.

Madoka paused and looked down at the table. "Today…was…different," she said. "I…I woke up…in an all-alley all alone…I didn't know where I was…" then Madoka looked back up at me. "I…didn't know w-who I was."

I nodded, 'Her memories, that's what her Entry Fee was, just like me,' I thought.

Madoka continued her explanation. "I still can't…re-remember anything. All I can…remember is m-my name. M-Madoka, th-that's all I can remember." She pointed at the Pin in my hand, "I found that…in my pocket. I thought th-that it might…be a clue to who I am. I tried lo-looking for someone to tell me…what it was, but…nobody answered me. You're the first…person who's even…talked to me Oni-san."

I stared at Madoka and then at the Pin. Then I sighed and looked back at Madoka, "First of all, since you told me your name I'll tell you mine, " I said. "My name is Neku, Neku Sakuraba. And second, yes I do know what this is." I pulled out Madoka's hand and placed the Pin inside of it. "That's a Player Pin, and it means that you're very special Madoka. That Pin can make you do amazing things."

Madoka stared at the Pin her hand, "Ama-amazing things?" she replied.

I nodded, "Yes, let me show you. Close your eyes and hold the Pin close to you."

Madoka did as I told her to, and then a few moments later she opened her eyes really wide and chucked the Pin onto the table. Then she started shaking again, and she looked really scared. "I…I heard…voi-voices inside my head."

I nodded, "Yeah that's one of the special things that you can do now. Those voices are other people's thoughts. With that Pin, you can hear the thoughts of all the people in this room."

Madoka calmed down a little, "I can hear people's…thoughts?" she asked.

I nodded again, "Yeah, and you can also do a lot of other things too, but I don't think that we should go into all that right now. Let's wait a little while until you're used to the mind-reading."

Madoka nodded, "Okay Oni…Neku-san," she said.

I smiled at Madoka and then I chuckled to myself. 'She's a really quiet girl, but she's also very sweet,' I thought. Then I frowned, 'Why did someone like her have to die, where's the justice in letting a little girl do something like this?' I asked myself. Then I sighed, 'But then again, the Reaper Game isn't fair to begin with is it?'

I was broken from my train of thought when I noticed that Madoka was staring at me. Something about those eyes of hers…they just seemed to peer at your soul. "Neku-san…are you special too?" Madoka asked me.

I smiled at her and sighed again. "I used to be," I said softly, "But I had to…give up being special in order to save my friends."

Madoka gave me a confused look, "Your friends?"

I nodded, "Yeah, they were special like me. But…they were taken away from me…by this bad guy." I was making up a story with each word that slipped past my mouth; I didn't want to lie to Madoka, but it seemed better than telling her the whole truth. And besides, it wasn't like everything I was saying was a total lie.

"A ba-bad guy…stole your friends? Did you…ev-ever get them back…Neku-san?" Madoka asked.

I nodded again, "But I had to give up…being special…in order to save them."

"So…you ar-aren't special anymore," Madoka picked up her Player Pin, "You…don't have on-one of these?" she asked.

I shook my head, "Nah, I don't really need it anymore anyway, I've got my friends now," I said with a small smile.

Madoka smiled slightly, "Can I me-meet your fr-friends…Neku-san?" she asked.

I nodded, "Sure," then I frowned, "But I've got to find them first," I said.

Madoka frowned, "They…we-went missing?"

"I think that the same bad guy, who took them away from me last time, did the same thing again." I chuckled again, "You know the last time that they were taken from me I wasn't really a nice person. I didn't really care about anyone but myself; after they were taken I thought that it was a punishment for my selfishness. But my friends, they helped me become a better person. Now I really care about other people…but they were taken away from me again, so now I don't really know what I'm being punished for." I looked down at the table and then I felt something grab my hand.

Madoka was holding onto my hand for the second time that day. She gave me a reassuring smile and then said, "Neku-san…you are a go-good person…I-I only met you a lit-little while ago…but I kn-know that much about you. Thi-this isn't your fault…this is the ba-bad guy's fault. Don-don't worry…I'll help you find yo-your friends. I promise," she said.

I smiled at her, "You know, you remind me so much of my girlfriend…I really hope that I can see her again." Then my thoughts were interrupted when my cellphone started to vibrate. I reached into my shorts' pocket and pulled out my cell to see what was going on.

"What is it…Ne-Neku-san?" Madoka asked.

I looked through my recent messages and saw that I had just gotten one a moment ago from an unknown source. It was a video message. "Nothing, my phone just got a message," I answered Madoka.

I stared at the play button for the video. 'Could this be from Josh? Is he finally done playing games?' I asked myself. Curiosity overcame me and I pressed the play button for the video message. Then I noticed something really weird; there was no sound. Not on the video, all around me. While the video was loading, I looked up from my cell and saw the strangest thing. Nothing was happening…literally nothing was happening. Everything and everyone in Mexican Dog seemed to be frozen. Everyone was like a statue. I looked beside me and saw that Madoka was still coherent; she was leaning into the table to get a better look at the video message on my cell. I looked back down at my phone when I saw the video begin to play.

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><p><strong>Regular POV-<strong>

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><p><em>Inside Mexican Dog. Spain Hill, Shibuya-August 2, 2009, 1:20 P.M. (August 1, 2009, 11:20 P.M. EST).<em>

The video message started, and in the video there was a single person. Neku and Madoka didn't know who it was, but this was Leonidas. He was finally giving the message that he was ordered to give by Raphael to announce the start of the Game. Leonidas cleared his throat and then he said, "Hello there, if you're watching this that means one thing…are you ready for this because it might be a shocker? You my friend are dead. That's right D-E-A-D, dead. That's why no one can see or hear you. Right now you're what you might call a ghost."

Neku's eyes widened and he looked at Madoka; she didn't seem to respond to what the guy in the video had said.

"Okay, now that the unpleasant part is out of the way, allow me to introduce myself. My name is Leonidas, as least it is officially…I actually prefer to be called Leo but my brothers are old-fashioned so…oh I've gotten off topic. Any who, I'm what you people might call an Angel. That's right this isn't a prank call…you're really dead and I'm really an all-powerful being. Now I'm just going to let that sink in for a couple of seconds," Leonidas paused.

Madoka giggled slightly, "Th-that Oni-san is…kind of funny," she said. Meanwhile, Neku was paying full attention to Leonidas' words, trying to make sense out of them.

"Alright then, onto business, this message is for you lost souls out there. You're probably wondering that if you're dead, then why you haven't gone to Heaven or Hell, or whatever place you believe you go to when you die. Well here is the true secret of death. When a person dies they come from the RG, the Real Ground, which is where you were when you were alive, to the UG, the Under Ground, which is a world that was created by us beings. Here in th UG, the Players, that's you guys, participate in a contest called the Reaper's Game. The Game is actually very simple; you all have your Player Pins right?" Leonidas said as he pulled out the familiar black badge. "If you haven't seen this yet, look in your pocket, that's most likely where it will be. Now then, this Pin is sort of your recognition pass as a Player, if you have this then you are entered in the Reaper's Game."

"Alright, now onto the Game in general. In the UG, a person is able to do and see things that wouldn't be possible in the RG. One of these things is that each one of you now possesses a peculiar power; this is what's called a Psych. You Players are supposed to use your Psyches to fight off the Reapers…that's right Grim Reapers, they're your enemy. Their role in the Game is to Erase you, basically make you go poof. However, they can't do this personally, otherwise the Game wouldn't be fair, and so they make use of monsters called Noise. Noise inhabit the whole world, but they are only visible in the UG; Noise feed off of negative thoughts, which is why mankind is like a buffet for them. Part of your job as Players is to Erase the Noise using Psyches, but don't think that it will be easy."

"The next thing I'm going to tell you about is the main aspects of the Game. Each Player is meant to have a Partner; you can't fight the Noise all alone after all. You fight with your Partner in two zones to completely eradicate the Noise; if the Noise in both zones is not defeated then the Noise is not Erased period. So pick a Partner. You fight with a Partner by forming a Pact with them, which can be done by just thinking about joining with them. However, if your Partner ends up getting Erased then you get Erased as well. Now this style of Partner selecting was used in the Games that came before this, but this Reaper Game is very special so instead of having one Partner, you're going to have four. In this Reaper Game you'll be making Teams to achieve each Mission."

"Missions are very important as well. Each day you will be given a message over your cellphones which tells you the Mission that you have to complete. There are other Players playing in the Game so if you can't do a certain Mission it's fine, as long as one Team fulfills the Mission every Player passes to the next day. But if no one completes the Mission then every Player is automatically Erased. And as an extra incentive for playing the Game, rewards will be given to the Team that completes a certain Mission. Each message also gives you a time limit for the Mission, so complete it within the preferred time, or face Erasure."

"Speaking of time, the time limit for each previous Reaper Game was one week. However, like I said before, this Reaper Game is special. So the total length of this Game is ten weeks."

Neku gasped and then yelled, "Ten Weeks?!"

"Sorry I don't make the rules," Leonidas said. "That would be the Composer's job."

'The Composer…Josh?' Neku asked himself.

"I'm told that the Game is this long because it accompanies a great portion of Japan. Nine wards in Tokyo have been selected to play as the Game Area; among these are Shibuya, Shinjuku, Minato, Akihabara, Ginza, Odaiba, Ikebukuro, Ueno, and Nakameguro. Also for some reason I don't really understand the second biggest city in Japan, Yokohama, is also part of the Game Area. So basically a couple of wards in Tokyo and all of Yokohama. These are the areas where you're allowed to go, and in each area there will be a Producer to help you with any questions you have and a Game Master that you will have to eventually defeat. This Game may seem long and arduous but the Team that manages to come out above the rest will receive three special gifts. One, your will regain your lives, and it will be like you never died in the first place. Two, the Entry Fee that was taken from you at the start of the Game as payment will be returned to you; the Entry Fee can be many things for different people, some of you might have noticed that it's already missing, others might not have. And lastly, the winning Team will be rewarded one Wish, to make your wildest dreams come true."

"Alright this is the last thing, I swear." Leonidas sighed, "Ugh, I can't believe they're really making me do this." He sighed again and then his eyes started to glow, and then he spoke in a much deeper voice. "Neku Sakuraba, you are also in this Game, even though you are still technically alive. You defeated our brother, Joshua, at the Reaper's Game that was being held in Shibuya a year ago. This New Reaper Game is in response to that. When you beat Brother Joshua, you made a fool out of our kind; our perfection was tainted with the idea that a human was powerful enough to stop one of us. However, you should know that this Game was not Joshua's idea; as a matter of fact he was against the whole thing. This plan was forged by his brothers and sisters who wish to make you pay for disrespecting him. You may have noticed that your Entry Fee for this Game was…unique to say the least. As punishment we have taken away your life…the world you exist in now is false as you may have noticed. Your friends have abandoned you…you're all alone."

"Over the course of these ten weeks we will make you feel pain…unimaginable pain. You will be forced to create new bonds only to see them ripped away before your very eyes yet again. You will face enemies the likes you have never met before, who will test you mentally and physically. In all likelihood you will not survive to see the end of the Game."

"However, we hope that you do, so we can personally wipe you away from the face of the Earth permanently. You made us feel humiliation and pain, so now you will feel the same. Oh and to the rest of you Players, if you have any problems with the Game, please direct your complaints to Neku Sakuraba of Shibuya." Leonidas's eyes stopped glowing and he returned to his normal voice. He frowned, "Sorry man, good luck." The video then ended.

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><p><strong>Neku's POV-<strong>

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><p><em>Inside Mexican Dog. Spain Hill, Shibuya-August 2, 2009, 1:25 P.M. (August 1, 2009, 11:25 P.M. EST).<em>

Everything in Mexican Dog returned to normal pace, and the people around me and Madoka started moving again. When the video was over I turned off my phone and put it in my pocket. Then I felt something that was inside of my shorts. I reached into my pocket, and low and behold, there was a Player Pin. I wore a frown on my face the entire time after the video was over. 'I was right; this is about me beating Josh in the Game. Only Josh isn't the one whose upset with me, it's his family,' I thought. I mentally chuckled, 'To think Josh was an Angel…did not see that one coming.' I felt Madoka's hand on mine again, and I looked back at her.

"N-Neku-san…was that O-Oni-san the bad guy that…you talked about?" Madoka asked me.

I shook my head, "No he wasn't the one I was talking about…but he is pretty mad at me."

Madoka increased her grip on my hand. "Don-don't worry Neku-san…I told y-you before that I would help you…I p-promised. We'll stop…t-them together and…get back your friends," she said with a warm smile.

I smiled at the little girl. "You're just like Shiki, you know that. When we get her back, she's the first one I want to introduce you too."

Madoka smiled, "Okay," she simply said.

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><p>AN: Well that's chapter four, the first Mission is next so don't miss it. Read, Review, Follow, and Favorite, and keep sending in OCs. Now that you know how many cities this is going to incorporate I need a ton of characters. I'm counting on you people.


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: Keep getting involved with the story people. I need more OCs, a lot more. I need at least fifty Players, at least twenty-five Reapers, at least thirty Angels, and at least twenty or so Mortals (Regular people). Here's the number of characters I have in each category so far *Note-The characters I have included in parenthesis are only the ones from the first game who will be recurring and the OCs that I introduced the names for in the intro song. The characters that are not listed are either OCs that were already submitted to me, or some other characters that I have thought up.*:

1) **Players- Twelve** (Including Neku, Madoka, Kazuma, Rin, Josh, and Eri.)

2) **Reapers- Twelve** (Including 777, Tenho, BJ, Kariya, Yashiro, Kitanigi, Minamimoto, Kanon, and Destros.)

3) **Angels- Seventeen **(Including Joshua, the Tza twins, Hanekoma, Michael, Raphael, Lucifer, and Leonidas.) *Special Note- Players will be the only ones that refer to them as Angels because of what Leonidas said in the video message. The Angels prefer the term, Higher Beings, because they think of themselves as Gods.*

4) **Mortals- Ten **(Including Rhyme, Shooter, Makoto, Mina, Ai, and Eiji Oji.)

As you can see I am far behind on the character quota, so I am going to push the OC due date to chapter ten. Please loyal fans of this great game franchise please send in your ideas for characters.

Disclaimer: I do not own the World Ends with You! (I break down to the floor and cry.)

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><p><strong>Chapter Five: Week 1, Day 1- Let the Game Begin!<strong>

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><p><strong>Regular POV-<strong>

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><p><em>Inside the Composer's ChamberRoom of Reckoning. The Shibuya River-August 2, 2009, 1:30 P.M. (August 1, 2009, 11:30 P.M. EST)._

The familiar room was the same now as it was a year ago. There were many graffiti drawings across the walls and floors of the large underground dungeon, all of them being made by the reclusive artist CAT who has not been heard of for at least a year. Or as it is in this world, not at all. CAT never existed…in the RG. But even though the world outside was false, in the UG CAT's art remained in place.

There was a solitary person in the quiet dungeon. The person was a boy who had pale skin, gray hair, and gray eyes which had blue rings around the pupils. The boy looked to be about sixteen, and he wore a dull purple dress shirt which was not tucked in; he also wore a pair of black suede pants and a pair of white shoes. This boy was Yoshiya Kiryu, a.k.a. Joshua. However, he was not the same Joshua that Neku had met earlier that day…no, this was a different Joshua. This was the Joshua who was the former Composer of Shibuya. This was the Higher Being, Joshua.

Joshua stared at the drawing of the snake that was left on the ground of the Room of Reckoning, and then he crouched down on one knee and touched the drawing with his hand. "It's like nothing in here has changed at all," Joshua thought aloud. Joshua continued to stare at the snake, "Megumi, who would have thought that our little wager would have caused a problem like this." Joshua looked up at the skylight that overlooked his former chamber. "Not only did they change Shibuya, but they've changed a great deal of Japan as well. I can still hear the voices coming from outside these walls; they're still disorganized but somehow different than before, like there are far more cries of anguish now. That's what I wanted to prevent most of all." Joshua sighed and then said, "Maybe I should have just destroyed Shibuya after all, there would've been far less confusion if I had simply ended the game once and for all."

A chuckle came from the dark area of the chamber. "You know, ya shouldn't just say your thoughts out loud like that, people might get the wrong idea and start spreading rumors," a voice said. Joshua looked to the area that the voice originated from and saw someone emerge from the shadows. Sanae Hanekoma, the former artist of Shibuya, CAT. He wore his regular outfit, which gave you the impression he was a bartender at first glance. Hanekoma walked up to Joshua and stopped when he was about five feet away from him. Then he said, "I thought I would find you here, they did say this wasn't where the new Composer was going to make his hideout. How are ya holding up?"

Joshua sighed again and continued to look out the skylight. "Sanae," he said, "Do you think I did the right thing? I gave the humans in Shibuya a chance…I gave him a chance, and he was proving to me that Shibuya could be saved. And then this mess happened. Now I'm second guessing my choice."

Hanekoma shook his head, "Josh I've known ya for a long time, haven't I?"

"Twenty-five years, but who's counting?" Joshua replied.

Hanekoma nodded, "That's right," then he sighed. "You know, when I first got Upstairs I didn't know if I would fit in or not. I mean, before I got my wings…well I wasn't the friendliest guy."

Joshua chuckled slightly, "You can say that again. Correct me if I'm wrong but didn't you die in a bar fight?"

Then Hanekoma chuckled, "That punk had it coming, he was drunk off his ass and he just got a lucky shot in." Then his tone turned serious again, "My point is, when I got up there you took me you under your wing. Even though you were a real quiet guy I could tell that you and me shared a real connection. You had been doing the Composer shtick for about sixty or so years…and I felt happy when a legacy like you chose a bum like me to be the new Producer for your turf. I could tell that ya trusted me a whole lot, ya even defied your brothers when they said that ya shouldn't hire someone whose…what was the word they used again? Arrogant?"

"I believed they used the word "asinine" to describe you," Joshua replied.

Hanekoma rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment. "My point is…that I knew ya trusted me, which is why I knew I could trust you. I still trust ya as of today, and I trusted in your decision of how to deal with Shibuya's future. You trust me, I trust you, and you trusted him. Right?"

Joshua sighed, "That's just the thing. I don't know if I can trust him anymore. He abandoned my way of thinking, and adopted yours."

Hanekoma shook his head, "So what's the big deal about that? Ya got two me's running around in the world, who cares? Ya trust me, so trust him. If you truly think what your brothers and sisters are doing to him is wrong, then fight. Fight with Neku; make him show ya the kind of Shibuya that he said could exist. 'Cause…" Hanekoma paused for a minute and then began to chuckle. "'Cause that kid…is definitely something special," he said. "I believe that he truly can make a difference in the world. He can make the world anything he wants it to be. The world ends with him, I am more sure of that now than ever. He has the power to show mankind to explore the worlds that are around them, he knows the hardships that others go through because he's been there himself. Same as you Josh, same as you."

Joshua turned his gaze away from the skylight and looked directly at Hanekoma. "I had forgotten you were there when I first started to think this way. Sanae, do you…remember her too?"

Hanekoma nodded, "No decent guy would forget his pal's first love. Maggs was a real special girl."

Joshua frowned a little, "It's funny when you think about it. Maggie and I had studied human kind for…decades, and when I finally realized how I felt about her…it was already too late."

Hanekoma sighed, "I remember about sixteen years ago was the worst part for you. Do you remember what I said that helped ya cheer up?"

Joshua looked up at Hanekoma and nodded, and then he cracked a small smile. "Before she died…she had a child. A little boy…he has her eyes. Those were your exact words." Joshua sighed, "Even after all this time, I still haven't seen him. How's he doing?"

Hanekoma smiled and then said, "I catch a glace of him every once in a while. He looks great, but I think he needs to work on his social skills a little."

Joshua laughed, "He sounds a little like me." Then Joshua looked back up at the skylight. "The world ends with you," he said. "I remember when Maggie first told me that; after she told me that I had the urge to explore mankind so I became a Composer. Then a few decades later you showed up, and I tell you the same thing." Joshua sighed again, "And then you taught it to Neku, and it changed his outlook on life…permanently."

Hanekoma frowned a little at his friend. "You know, it's never too late. You said it yourself, Neku was just like you. If he changed then so can you. So what do you say Boss? Are you ready to see the world again?" he asked.

Joshua smiled as he stared up at the gentle blue sky. "Yes..." he slowly nodded his head, "Yes, I think it's time. I'm not going to give up on my dream of unification though, but I will do my best to regain my sense of wonder when it comes to other worlds. I want to see new things now…I want to see him also."

Hanekoma made an excited laugh. "All right, at a boy Josh!" he shouted, "We're gonna help Neku change the world, we're gonna help him show ya the Shibuya you've been waiting for."

Joshua looked back at Hanekoma and nodded. "But first thing's first, I'm going to have to form a Sync Pact with Kiryu."

Hanekoma was confused, "Eh? Syncing? Isn't that kind of risky?"

Joshua nodded, "But it's the only way that I'll be able to help Neku. Remember, I was the only one of my brothers and sisters that didn't want to go through with this, so to keep me out of the way Michael took some of my Psych Energy to stop me from interfering with the Game. Syncing my soul to Kiryu's is the only way to establish a firm power between the two of us."

"Alright that I get, but the actual Yoshiya Kiryu isn't a Player. In this world, he's still alive. Can you still Sync with someone who's not a Player?" Hanekoma asked.

Joshua nodded, "Oh, it's possible." Joshua reached into his pants' pocket and pulled out a Player Pin. "I heard they were going to use the same Player Pins, so I held onto one just in case."

Hanekoma smiled, "You were thinking about helping him all along weren't you?"

Joshua smiled back at him, "Key word is "thinking", I wasn't sure if I should go through with it or not." Then Joshua frowned slightly and put on a serious face. "Sanae, you should know if we do this…it's basically treason against the Council. Even if we are successful in our endeavor, in all likelihood we will be forced to Fall. I can become a normal human because of my power but you won't be able…"

Hanekoma cut Joshua off. "Don't sweat it; I'm with you all the way. Even if it means I'll be stuck in the UG forever, as long as I can help my pals out I'll be fine." Then he chuckled a little, "But before I forget, ya should know that I'm not the only one who's willing to go to bat for you and Neku. I placed a call earlier and "he" said that he'll stop on by and see if he can help."

Joshua's eyes widened and his facial expression became serious. "If that idiot comes here, forget about trying to save Shibuya and the other cities, they'll probably get turned into rubble. Then Joshua smiled again and laughed really hard, "He'll make things really heat up in this game." Joshua stopped laughing and then said, "Now let's go and have a chat with the guy whose appearance I've been using for a long time." Joshua shrugged his shoulders, "It might be a bit of a shock, but at least he's getting the news from someone he should be able to trust."

* * *

><p><em>Spain Hill, Shibuya-August 2, 2009, 1:32 P.M. (August 1, 2009, 11:32 P.M. EST).<em>

Meanwhile, Neku and Madoka were silently walking up the street of Spain Hill. Madoka was holding onto Neku's hand; she had been clinging to him since they got out of Mexican Dog. Neku didn't say anything to her about it but he was kind of wondering why she was latching on to him all of a sudden. He didn't question it though because he was too busy staring at the screen of his mobile. It had been almost eight minutes since Leonidas' video message ended and the texts about the first Mission hadn't come yet. Neku was kind of getting impatient and he showed this by grunting and shaking his mobile in his free hand.

Madoka took notice of Neku's behavior and tried to cheer him up. "Hey N-Neku-s-san?" she quietly stated.

Neku turned his attention to Madoka and replied, "Yeah?"

Then Madoka suddenly let go of Neku's hand and grabbed his cellphone out of his other hand. "Swipe!" she shouted, and then Madoka ran ahead of Neku with his mobile in her hands, giggling with each step she took.

It took a few moments for Neku to register what had just happened, and then it finally hit him. "Hey wait! Madoka, bring that back!" Neku shouted as he chased after the little girl.

Madoka paid no heed to Neku's words and just continued to run along the street, forcing Neku to run faster to try and catch her. "Madoka, give me back my phone!" Neku continued to shout.

"No, no, no!" Madoka shouted back at Neku as she increased her speed.

Finally after giving out a great burst of energy, Neku caught Madoka. "Gotcha!" he shouted when he grabbed her, and then he lifted the little girl up into the air.

Madoka wouldn't stop kicking her legs even when she was caught. "No fair, no fair, Neku-san's a cheater. You're bigger than me!" she shouted.

Neku took back his phone and then put Madoka back down on the ground. Neku glared at Madoka, "You moron, why did you do that? I was waiting on the Mission to come to my cell."

Madoka pouted and then she changed back to her quiet stuttering voice, "Because Nek-Neku-san…se-seemed upset at…his phone. I did-didn't like seeing Neku-san…be depr-depressed, so I was try-trying to get rid of it."

Neku frowned at the little girl and then he sighed, and then he smiled down at her. "Thank you for being concerned about me. I guess I was kind of getting upset, wasn't I?" He reached down and patted Madoka on the head, "Thanks again you little squirt, but don't steal my phone again."

Madoka smiled back at Neku and said, "Okay."

Then a buzzing sound was heard by the pair. Neku looked down at his phone and saw that he had gotten a text message. Two of them. "Alright!" Neku shouted, "The Mission's finally here." Neku opened up his messages and view the first one that he had gotten.

_Listen, hear, and experience music. Reach a place where you can do this. Time limit is sixty minutes. Fail and face Erasure. -Reapers_

Neku chuckled at the sight of the message. "Really, that's the best they can do?" Neku asked aloud.

"What is it Ne-Neku-san?" Madoka asked. Neku replied by telling Madoka what the first Mission was.

Then Neku said, "Okay Madoka, if this is anything like last time then get ready because this next part hurts a little."

Madoka was confused, "Wha-what do you mean Neku-s…ouch!" Madoka yelped suddenly. Then Neku cringed as well and grunted a little.

The two turned over their right hands and saw that their palms had numbers on it that seemed to be counting down. "Yep just like last time," Neku said, "These are Timers, they let us know how much time we have for the Mission, all we have to do is just complete the Mission before the Timers hit zero," Neku explained. Then Neku looked back at his phone, "Now let's see what this other message is about." Neku opened the text message and read the contents.

_Form a Pact with other Players and make a Team. Your Team must consist of a minimum of five Players. You have six days. Fail and face Erasure. –Reapers_

Neku stared oddly at the text message. "What the hell?" he whispered to himself, "This is ne…arragh!" Neku yelped when he felt a sharp pain on his left hand. He looked over to Madoka and saw that she was cringing in pain as well, and she was holding her left hand to numb the sting she felt. Then Neku and Madoka turned over their left hands and saw that their other palm had a Timer on it too, only this one had a lot more numbers than their right palms.

"Two Missions at once?" Neku thought aloud, "Maybe these guys do have some new tricks up their sleeves." Then suddenly Neku's mobile vibrated again, and Neku saw that he had received another message. "Again?" Neku opened up the message and read it, and then his eyes went wide as dinner plates.

"Wha-what does it say…Neku-san?" Madoka suddenly asked.

Neku turned off his mobile and then put it back into his pocket. Then he crouched down on his knees and got at eye-level with Madoka; he grabbed her by the shoulders and gave her tender smile. "Don't worry, it was just some more rules for the Game; okay now first thing's first, we have to form a Pact with each other."

Madoka looked confused, "A Pact? Wha-what's that Neku-san?" she asked.

"It's something that Partners do in order to show that they have complete trust in one another, and that they are willing to fight side-by-side. But before we make a Pact, I have to know for sure, can I trust you Madoka?" Neku asked in a serious tone.

Madoka stayed silent for a second and then she asked, "Ca-can I trust you Neku-san?"

Neku smiled at her, "Yes you can; I promise that I will protect you no matter what."

Madoka smiled back at Neku and then nodded, "Okay then, y-you have yo-your answer. I promise…to do the same."

Neku's smile grew, "Okay," he said, "Now pull out your Player Pin and close your eyes just like you did last time. Madoka nodded and did as she was told. "Alright," Neku continued his explanation, "Now this time I want you to try to focus on hearing no one else's thoughts but your own, you're probably going to have to dig under a lot of random thoughts to find your own. Now I'm going to do the same thing to myself, and we both have to implant the idea in our minds that we want to be one another's Partners. When this happens, the Pact will officially be formed," Neku explained. Madoka nodded, showing she understood. Neku pulled out his Player Pin and then held onto Madoka's hand, and then he closed his eyes and concentrated on hearing the thoughts of the people around him.

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><p><strong>Neku's POV-<strong>

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><p><em>Spain Hill, Shibuya-August 2, 2009, 1:38 P.M. (August 1, 2009, 11:38 P.M. EST).<em>

In my mind I could feel the world around me; I could hear the inner voices of people walking by. All their interests, their worries, their darkest secrets were exposed to me. This feeling to have all the knowledge of a single person cramming into your head, I had forgotten what it felt like; but then I remembered how I felt the last time when I used this power. It felt wrong. I wanted to expand my world view, to get know other people…I promised Mr. H I would after all. But something about being able to know what people are thinking by using a Pin is just…wrong. Hundreds of thoughts raced through my mind and I did my best to sort through them and find my own thoughts, but it proved to be a little difficult. I was out of practice with Mind-Reading.

I heard one thought. ('Where are they? It's been almost half an hour!') It sounded like that guy was getting impatient.

Another one passed by me. ('x=3y(4x+5y), solve for x. What? Ugh, God I hate math. I should just forget about passing cram school.') A girl was having trouble with her math homework.

Two thoughts came at once. ('Should I tell him my feelings now? No, no…what if he doesn't feel the same way? It could ruin our friendship.') ('Man, I really want to tell her now. Come on man just come out with it. "Karin, I love you," just say that, it's not hard. Ugh, I can't do it after all.') A couple was trying to confess their feelings for one another.

Then one thought really stood out. ('What is that kid doing over there? He's just crouching down in the middle of the street. Is he meditating? Kids today…they sure do some strange stuff.') I inwardly laughed at that one; I had forgotten that people can see me because I'm not technically dead yet.

'This is no time for screwing around, I've got to focus,' I thought to myself. I had finally reached my own thoughts. 'Okay think, "I want to form a Pact with Madoka. I want to form a Pact with Madoka,"' I kept saying those words over and over again in my head. Then I felt a connection; I had only felt this three other times before. It was a weird thing to describe, it felt like I was myself but I had also become someone else. I knew for sure that now my fate was tied with that of this little girl. We were Partners.

Then I released my grip of my Player Pin and opened my eyes. I saw that Madoka had done the same thing, and she greeted me with those soft lavender-colored eyes of hers. I smiled at her and then I said, "Well I'm counting on you now…Partner."

Madoka smiled back at me and then an expression of terror claimed her face. She was looking past me and at something that was behind the two of us. "N-Nek-Neku-san…wh-wh-what is that?!" Her stutter was even worse; what behind me must have been something truly terrifying. I dreaded to look and see what it was but I had no choice. I slowly turned around and I saw a sight that was both extraordinary and terrifying at the same time. Hundreds of other people walked by us in the street but neither me nor Madoka moved an inch. Standing in front of the two of us was a sight that would surely stand out, yet it was as if me and the little girl behind me were the only ones that could see it. There was a large black horse that had a dark-gray mane and tail and glowing red eyes, eyes that looked as if they were that of a demon.

And sitting on top of the horse, was a person who was draped from head-to-toe in a dark black robe, and who wore a black metallic chain across his neck that had a skull pendant on it. Then I noticed that the figure had black skeletal like wings protruding from his back. That was the biggest clue. I had figured out what this guy was and why no one was able to see him or the horse.

"Reaper," I whispered in a voice that barely audible, so that only Madoka could hear it.

The robed figure looked right at me; I couldn't make out his eyes, but I could feel their cold icy stare. "Neku Sakuraba," the figure's voice said in a dark-sounding tone. "I didn't think that finding you would be this easy, I guess your Record is a little overstated, this isn't nearly as much fun as I thought it would be." The figure shrugged his shoulders, "Oh well," he said and then he reached for something in his cloak and pulled out another unbelievable thing, a bow and arrow. "You're still worth a handsome reward, so I will play the game of Cat and Mouse with you." The figure loaded his arrow back into his bow and then said, "Let the hunt begin."

I had forgotten this feeling. This feeling that I wished to never feel again after going through the experiences I had last year. This feeling was fright. Unimaginable fright. I was scared out of my mind.

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><p>AN: How's that for a cliff-hanger. Sorry I was only able to post one chapter last week, I had to get the characters in order to present. But I've made a goal to get at least one chapter up every week, and maybe two if I work fast. Before you go please remember about your OCs, I am open to any ideas you have. It's Tokyo people, they have tons of crazy traditions and whacky occurrences. In fact, the crazier your characters are the more they will fit into the story. So please remember, read, review, follow, and PM me more OCs.


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: I'm getting more OCs, that's really great. Keep them coming. Now before we start, I would like to give a special thanks to two of the people who sent in OCs which will be appearing in this chapter. **KnightSpark **and **Natsuno Circus**, thank you for letting me use your characters; I hope I do them justice for you. And without further ado, here's chapter six.

Disclaimer: I do not own the World Ends with You.

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><p><strong>Chapter Six: Week 1, Day 1-How Neku Got his Groove Back<strong>

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><p><strong>Regular POV-<strong>

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><p><em>Spain Hill, Shibuya-August 2, 2009, 1:40 P.M. (August 1, 2009, 11:40 P.M. EST). Fifty-five minutes remaining in the Mission.<em>

Hundreds of people walked by Neku and Madoka and noticed nothing out of the ordinary. The eyes of a Mortal were a curious thing. They could not see the things that were all around them. No one could see the little dead girl that was cowering behind Neku, or the thing that the two kids were facing, a Reaper who was draped in a black cloak and who rode on the back of a black demonic-looking horse. Surely the Reaper would have stood out most of all, but no. People just walked by him without even noticing him, which is an odd occurrence considering that Reapers can be visible in the RG. Reapers who appear there just won't have their wings. However, this was not the case; it appeared as though at that moment that the Reaper, Neku, and Madoka could not be perceived by anyone in the RG.

Neku didn't notice this as he was too concerned with the Reaper that had suddenly appeared before him and Madoka. "Neku Sakuraba," the Reaper said in a voice that sounded absolutely bone-chilling. "I didn't think that finding you would be this easy, I guess your Record is a little overstated, this isn't nearly as much fun as I thought it would be." Neku and Madoka just continued to stay silent as the cloaked Reaper spoke. Madoka started shaking like a leaf and holding on tightly to the back of Neku's shirt. The Reaper shrugged his shoulders and then continued to speak, "Oh well," he said. Then the Reaper reached into his black cloak and pulled out a bow and arrow, which seemed as if they just magically appeared in his cloak. "You're still worth a handsome reward," the Reaper said, "So I will play the game of Cat and Mouse with you." The Reaper loaded his arrow back into his bow and arched back the bow string. "Let the hunt begin."

The Reaper fired his arrow and then things seemed to move in slow motion. To Neku, the arrow and the world around him seemed to be moving at 1/1000 of a second. The arrow seemed to slowly fly through the air towards Neku, and he knew that at any moment it was going to make impact with him. However, he couldn't move from his spot, he was still as a statue. 'What are you doing?!' Neku yelled at himself, 'If you don't get out of the way you're going to die!' Neku wouldn't budge an inch and his inner voice fell on deaf ears. Neku just stood there with a panicked expression on his face, almost like he was a deer caught in headlights. 'You fucking moron, move! What the hell's the matter with you! You have to move! If not you're going to die! Then forget about saving Shiki and everyone else, you'll be the one that's gone for good!' Neku continued to stay firmly in his stance.

The arrow was getting closer with each passing moment. As it was reaching its target an orange aura seemed to envelop the projectile, making it look even more deadly. 'It's no use. I'm too…too scared. I can't move an inch. What is this feeling; this is nothing like last year. It's only Day 1 and I'm already in this kind of situation,' Neku collected his thoughts and his eyes started to water. 'I'm so afraid, I've…I've never felt this kind of fear before.' Neku looked at cloaked Reaper in front of him. 'This guy, what is he?! He's different than the other Reapers I've met. He seems colder, more determined…more evil.' Neku stared at the opening of the hood of the Reaper's cloak, trying to get a look at his face. But he couldn't make it out; it was like there was nothing inside that cloak but empty darkness. However, Neku knew that here was a face on the other side because he could feel cold, piercing eyes watching his every movement, studying him.

The arrow was a few inches away from making contact with Neku's heart. Neku closed his eyes and felt his tears trickle out on his cheeks. 'I guess this is it.' He thought, realizing the hopelessness. 'This is how it ends for me…for me and for everybody else. Shiki I'm sorry, I couldn't bring you back, same for you Beat. Madoka, I'm sorry to you most of all. When I die, you won't be far behind. I've failed you all.' Neku opened his eyes just in time to see the arrow suddenly stop in midair. It was about a half an inch away from piercing his heart but it was held there, and then suddenly the arrow disappeared. Neku looked over to the cloaked Reaper, and stared at him with tear-stained eyes. That was when he noticed how quiet it had become. He couldn't hear the people that were around him, and he couldn't even hear Madoka who was right behind him.

"Pathetic," the cloaked Reaper said, "These are the skills of the so called Winner?" Then the cloaked Reaper started to laugh manically, and then after a few moments he stopped laughing and slid his bow back into his cloak. The Reaper huffed, "Here I was thinking that you would pose a challenge for me, but you're not even worthy of becoming my prey. And so is the sad tale of the hunter, who tragically lost his sense of big game from the sniveling little boy known as the Winner." The Reaper snapped his finger and then black reins suddenly appeared around his horse and in his hands. "I cannot see why Lord Raphael wanted to get rid of you so badly; you're nothing to be afraid of. Looks like the Higher Beings have become soft over the millennia,' The Reaper said as he whipped his horse and then it began to trot off in the other direction. "Oh, and don't worry I put up a barrier when I came so that no one would be able to see our little meeting, and the arrow I fired was blanketed with a Psych that blocks out sound so the only ones who heard the little spectacle you put on were me and you."

The Reaper got further away from Neku and then Neku shouted back at him, "Hey, who are you!"

The Reaper stopped his horse and then turned his head around to look at Neku. "And pre-tell, why does the prey want to know more about the hunter?" the Reaper asked.

Neku glared at him, "Because I'm making a list of the people whose asses I need to kick before this Game is over, and so far you're at the top of the list!"

The Reaper stayed silent for a moment and then he said, "Destros, my name is Destros the Wanderer. I am what's known as a Bounty Hunter Reaper, and my job as such is to Erase Players and other Reapers who have become…undesirable. My current prey is the Winner of the last Reaper Game to be held in Shibuya, that's you, correct?"

Neku simply answered, "Yes."

Destros nodded, "Then that means I will keep hunting you, whenever you think you're alone I will be there, hiding in the shadows, waiting to strike, such is the way of the hunter. I am only targeting you; you don't have to worry about the little girl or any other Players that should see me. You are my primary objective; I only want to hunt you." Then Destros chuckled, "However, I would advise you to hone your skills a bit more before you make an attempt to…what was it? Kick my ass? At your current level, you're no match for me or any other Reaper who wants to get their paws on you. Which is why I am warning you to be prepared because the next time we meet I might not be so noble as to not beat a man when he is down; I am a Reaper after all." Then Destros's horse began to trot off again and a moment later the horse and Destros disappeared.

The world began to move at natural pace again and Neku could make out all the sounds of Shibuya, including those of his newly formed Partner who was still cowering behind him.

* * *

><p><strong>Neku's POV-<strong>

* * *

><p><em>Spain Hill, Shibuya-August 2, 2009, 1:45 P.M. (August 1, 2009, 11:45 P.M. EST). Fifty minutes remain in the Mission.<em>

I turned around and saw that Madoka was holding onto the back of my shirt, she looked really scared based on her expression and the fact that she was shaking. I got back down on eye level with her and then I gently patted her head until she calmed down a little. Soon she opened up her eyes again, and then she asked me in that cute stuttering voice of hers, "N-Ne-Neku-san…wha-what happened to that big sc-scary guy?" I couldn't blame her for hiding behind me to escape that guy; something about him put me on edge as well. I felt a massive killing intent behind the words that he said, I actually felt like he could've killed me just by talking to me enough. However, that didn't excuse how I acted in that situation.

'Destros…even though that guy is an asshole he's right. I was pathetic in that conflict. What's happened to me? I've faced lots of scarier looking guys than him before, but I actually cried out of fear. Dammit, I can't be a coward!' My thoughts were overflowing with emotions.

Then I noticed Madoka staring strangely at me. I still had not answered her question. I quickly replied, "Oh that guy, he just wanted to try and scare us, but I got him to back off," I lied. I didn't have the heart to tell her the truth. 'I wonder; will I ever get a chance to be truthful with this girl?' I asked myself. I tried to bury my thoughts of worry as well as Madoka's by trying to cheer her up, just as she had done to me a little while ago. I grabbed her little kitten knit-hat and pulled it off her head, revealing her short brown hair. Then I got back up to normal size and held it up high in the air. When Madoka realized what happened she started jumping in order to get it back.

"Hey no fair Neku-san!" she shouted as she started jumping as high as she could to get her hat back. However, her attempts were to no avail because every time she got close to grabbing one of the strings of her hat I hoisted it even higher in the air.

Then I started teasing her, "Come on squirt, you got to try harder than that. Come on, you want your hat back, right?" I brought it down to her level and then brought it back up to mine, over and over again, until finally Madoka gave up and she started pouting. Then I laughed and put the hat back over her head. "That's payback for when you took my mobile," I said, but that wasn't really the case. I could tell that she was worried; worried about everything that was going to happen to the two of us in the future. So was I, but I was not going to let the Game cause her anymore pain than she had to deal with. I was going to protect this girl, no matter what. I took her hat because, even if only for a moment, it took her mind of things and let her act like a little girl again. Truth be told, I kind of felt like her big brother.

After I gave her back her hat Madoka smiled at me and then she turned her right hand over and put her palm in my face. "Hey N-Neku-san, what about this?" she asked, pointing to the Timer on her palm.

My eyes widened in insight. The Mission, I had completely forgotten about the Mission. I stared at Madoka's palm and saw that fifteen minutes had already passed. Then I grabbed Madoka's hand and dragged her along with me, "Come on Madoka, we've got to get to Towa Records, there's only forty-five minutes left!" I yelled at the top of my lungs.

I saw the way that the other people on the street stared at me. To them I was a guy who had just yelled to no one and who just started blatantly running. I must have looked like a nut-job to them. Come to think of it, I wonder how I looked in that whole experience when I was trying to cheer up Madoka. I really had to get the hang of this, after all some of the Missions were probably going to have interactions with Mortals just like in the last game, and no one wants to talk to a weirdo who talks to his imaginary friends in public. 'Man, I never thought I would miss being invisible,' Neku thought to himself as he dragged Madoka to Towa Records.

* * *

><p><em>Towa Records, Shibuya-August 2, 2009, 2:00 P.M. (August 2, 2009, 12:00 A.M. EST). Thirty-Five minutes remaining in the Mission.<em>

As me and Madoka rounded the street corner to Towa Records I checked the Timer on my right palm. Thirty-five minutes, that was plenty of time. I could see the large building just up ahead, and the first Mission was just to reach a place where you could listen to music. I was on my way to setting things back to normal. 'But this is going to be a long ass Game, after this we have sixty-nine more days left in the UG,' I thought to myself. When we were a block away from Towa I stopped running, there was no need to book it now and I could tell Madoka needed a break. She was practically panting to keep up with me; maybe dragging her a little over a mile wasn't the best thing to do to an eight year old. I got down on eye level with her again and asked, "You okay, squirt?"

Madoka tried to reply but no words came out of her mouth, only gasps for air, so she just nodded. I frowned slightly at her, "Sorry I dragged you like that, it's just very important that we complete the Mission before the Timer runs out." She nodded in understanding. Then I sighed and I turned around and presented my back to Madoka. "Here hop on, "I'll carry you the rest of the way."

"Is…Is it all right, Ne-Neku-san?" Madoka asked.

I nodded, "I used to carry my girlfriend around like this, so you should be no problem." Madoka nodded and then she hopped onto my back, wrapping her legs around my waist and her arms around my head. "Okay, up we go!" I shouted as I stood all the way up, lifting Madoka into the air. She giggled at me when I did this. Then I lightly jogged through the remaining block while Madoka rested and rode on my back.

We were almost there, there was just one more intersection separating us from Towa Records. I tried to race through it and then suddenly I stopped. I didn't stop myself from running, something made me stop. I was confused at what happened, so I stuck out my hand in front of me to see what was blocking my path. My hand slid across something smooth, and when I touched the invisible barrier it shone an iridescent blue. 'Oh come on, right now?' I thought to myself and then I grunted.

Madoka looked over my shoulder and asked, "Wha-what's the matter N-Neku-san?"

I sighed, "It's a Wall." I looked around the intersection, "Okay, come out you freaking Wall Reaper, what do we have to do? Erase some Noise? Slip you a couple of Yin notes? Earn a certain Pin? Dress in a different outfit? Make a store popular?" I asked aloud what me and Madoka had to do to get past the Wall, and I listed out every job that I could remember from the last Reaper Game. Only when I looked around me there was no Wall Reaper to be found. "Ugh, come on," I grunted, "The Mission location is right in front of us; just tell us what we need to do in order to break down the Wall," I said aloud.

"Hey N-Neku-san look up t-there," Madoka suddenly said. I looked up above me and I saw that a couple of feet above us were gold printed words that shone brightly in the light. I stepped back for a few steps and then I saw all the words completely. It was a message.

_To gain access to the area beyond this Wall you must prove yourself swift and wise through a game of Reaper Tag._

Reaper Tag. I remember having to play that . Me and Beat had to play a game of Tag with Yashiro in Week 3, although we didn't learn it was a game of Tag until after she lost her cool, thanks to Beat's "brilliant" direction as a Reaper and a sneeze that he just couldn't hold in. 'Oh great, this game?' I asked myself, 'Perfect, well then, where is the Wall Reaper who put up this challenge?' I kept looking around the entirety of the Wall to try and find a guy in a red or black hoodie but I didn't see anybody other than the Mortals who were walking around me and Madoka, the Wall was ineffective to them.

"Wh-what are we going to do now, Ne-Neku-san?" Madoka asked.

"Hey, are you two Players too?!" I heard someone shout from behind us.

I turned myself and Madoka around and saw another person running up to the two of us. He was taller than me and looked to be around seventeen, he had short black hair which was cut badly into layers and had one fringe that was that was slightly longer than the others; he also had very pale skin, bright lime-green eyes, and an athletic looking frame. He wore a white t-shirt under a black denim jacket, matching denim jeans that had chain straps on the sides, a pair of sport shoes that had blue and black accents, and a pair of cotton white gloves on both of his hands. He also wore black wristbands on both of his wrists, a silver watch on his left wrist, and a blue-grey head scarf which was hidden under a white cap. He looked sort of like a street thug that was dressed for winter. I was surprised that he wasn't sweating in that outfit. The boy flashed a big smile at me and Madoka, revealing a chip in one of his teeth. "Thank God, I was trying to complete the Mission but I got stuck here by this Wall and I can't figure out how to get around it to get to Towa Records," he said, "Do you two know what the challenge means? What the heck is Reaper Tag?"

This guy just seemed to show up out of nowhere, that was never a good sign. But if he was a Reaper he would have wings and I didn't see any. 'Come on Neku, remember what Mr. H said, "you have to learn to trust people," maybe this guy can help me and Madoka out. The second Mission did say that we need to gather a team of five Players, and according to this guy he is a Player,' I thought to myself. "What's your name?" I asked suddenly.

The boy smiled at me again, "It's Keisuke, Sakagaki Keisuke. Yours?" he asked as he held out his hand.

I reached out to shake his hand and he shook back, and then I answered, "My name's Neku Sakuraba," then I pointed to Madoka, "And this is Madoka." Madoka tried her best to hide behind my head, but she still made an attempt to be friendly and waved at Keisuke.

Then Keisuke looked past my head, trying to peer on Madoka. "So Madoka, you got a last name?" he asked.

Madoka only responded with a pout and then buried her head deeper into my back. Keisuke leaned back to me and then laughed, "Awful shy isn't she?"

I glared at him, "Yeah," I simply responded.

Then Keisuke changed the topic, "So do you guys know how to get past the Wall?" he asked.

I had to learn to trust other people. "Yeah," I replied, "When you play Reaper Tag, you have to find and tag the Reaper who set the challenge up. So we just have to find and touch the Reaper who put up the Wall. The only problem is I can't find any Wall Reapers."

Keisuke seemed confused, "Wall Reapers?"

"There low-level Reapers who build up Walls like these in order to make the Mission harder, when it comes to each one you have to do a different job or challenge," I explained.

Keisuke chuckled, "Wow, you sure know a lot Neku. Have you played the Reaper Game before?" he asked.

'Didn't he listen to the video message that, that Leonidas guy sent,' I thought to myself, 'I know for a fact that he mentioned my name.'

My thoughts were interrupted when Madoka put her hand in front of my face and showed me her Timer. Ten minutes had already gone by. Twenty-Five minutes left. "N-Neku-san, what about th-the Mi-Mission?" she asked.

My eyes went wide, "Dammit, we're wasting time!" I shouted.

Keisuke chuckled again, "Calm down bro, look if we need to find the Reaper who made the Wall then why don't we try erasing the Noise in the area, eh?"

I was confused, "What would Erasing Noise do?" I asked.

"Well, since the Game started I've been in this one area, since I couldn't get to Towa Records I've been checking out my Psyches by Erasing Noise. I've almost got all of them, I just missed one cluster of them, but maybe if we Erase all the Noise then the Reaper who made them and the Wall appear might come out, then all we have to do is tag him," Keisuke explained.

That was actually a good idea. Erasing Noise actually accomplished a lot of stuff in the previous Game. "Okay, let's try out your idea," I said.

Keisuke smiled, "Great, but since I Erased the rest of them I'm kind of tapped out on Psych Energy, so why don't you and Madoka finish off the last one, eh?"

I glared at him, "Madoka's never been in a fight before, she doesn't know what to do," I said dryly.

"But if she doesn't learn how to fight now she might not make it through the rest of the Game," Keisuke countered.

I grunted at Keisuke, and then I thought to myself, 'As much as I don't want to admit it he's right, Madoka's going to have to fight eventually. But what if something bad happens, what if…' my thoughts were interrupted when I felt Madoka hop down from my back. She walked around my back side and then stood right next to me. Madoka looked at me with those big lavender eyes of hers.

"Do-don't worry, N-Neku-san," she said, "I...I said I wa-wanted to he-help you get you fr-friends back, so I will help you."

I smiled at her and then got down on her eye level again. "Okay here's the deal squirt," I said, "You know how when you use your Pin you can hear voices?" I asked, getting a nod in reply from Madoka. "Well this time I want you to keep your eyes open when you use your Pin, and then you'll see this weird looking symbol, now what I want you to do is focus on that symbol. I'll do the same and then the battle will start. Now when the battle starts these weird-looking monsters will start to appear around us and our goal is to get rid of them before they get rid of us. To do that we have to use some more of those special powers that I talked about earlier."

"But what can I do that's special?" Madoka asked.

I frowned slightly at her, "I don't really know; everyone has a different power so only you know what you can really do. To find out what kind of power you have all you have to do is think about getting rid of the Noise, and then your power should appear."

Madoka nodded, "Okay N-Neku-san."

Madoka and I pulled out our Player Pins and then I saw the last remaining Noise cluster. I focused on it and then it came right at me. I put down my Player Pin and I saw that Madoka had done the same. The two of us were standing in the same exact area, except now there was no one around save for Keisuke who was leaning up against a nearby building. Then suddenly Noise started to appear around us; they were Frog species, and one of the most annoying kinds, BigBanFrogs.

* * *

><p><strong>Regular POV-<strong>

* * *

><p><em>Towa Records, Shibuya-August 2, 2009, 2:12 P.M. (August 2, 2009, 12:12 A.M. EST). Twenty-three minutes remaining in the Mission.<em>

The Noise started to appear all around Neku and Madoka. They started to come at them one after another. The two Players quickly got out of the way of the Frogs' attacks and did their best to dodge by running around their Zones. Madoka was trying to focus on each Frog to figure out what her Psych was, and Neku was having a bit of a problem of his own. He didn't have a Psych either. In the heat of the moment he had forgotten that he was just as powerless as Madoka was. 'Dammit, how could I have forgotten something as important as that?!' Neku criticized himself in his mind. His thoughts were interrupted when he dodged to the left to avoid another strike from a Frog. 'This is…God the sixth time things haven't gone my way today, I'm in a life or death situation and I can't do a thing about it,' Neku thought. 'And even worse,' Neku looked over to Madoka, who was struggling just as much with her band of Frogs, 'I put Madoka in the same situation as me.'

Another Frog tried to land a hit on Madoka, and unfortunately she couldn't dodge this one in time and the attack ended up connecting, knocking Madoka back on her knees. "Madoka!" Neku yelled, only to get knocked back himself by another Frog. More and more Frogs continued to appear, and pretty soon the whole street was drowned in an uproar of croaks.

Madoka was still on her knees as she continued to get hit by the attacks of the Frogs. 'No more, if I can't even win a single fight there's no way I'll be able to help Neku-san,' Madoka thought to herself. Another Frog appeared before Madoka and it got ready to attack her. 'I don't want to be a burden to Neku-san,' the Frog pounced at her, 'I want to stand by him, I am his Partner!' Madoka shouted in her head and then she brought up hands to defend against the Frog's attack. Then suddenly the Frog seemed to get bigger and bigger like a balloon that was being pumped full of air, and then finally the Frog burst into pieces. Neku gained a shocked expression on his face and so did Keisuke.

'How does that little brat possess that kind of Psych?!' Keisuke asked himself as one of his eyebrows began to twitch.

'Madoka?' Neku was left speechless at the sight.

However, Madoka seemed to be the one who was most surprised and confused at the event that just took place. A few moments after the Frog burst she brought her hands closer to her face and examined them, and then she simply smiled. 'This must be my special power. It really is amazing, just like Neku-san said,' she thought. Then the remaining Frogs in Madoka's Zone began to approach her again and Madoka cast a glare at them. She picked herself up off the ground and then said, 'It's time for you big, nasty monsters to go away.' Then Madoka raised her arms in the air and aimed her hands at another one of the Frogs. That Frog began to pop as well. Soon, Madoka was able to make pretty much all of the Frogs in her Zone disappear.

Neku smiled at his little friend. 'I shouldn't have been worried at all, Madoka's a natural,' he thought as he watched Madoka go to work. However, his inattention to his own Zone caused him to suffer another brow from his band of Frogs. "Ouch!" Neku yelped as one of the Frogs nicked his left arm. He glared at the Frogs as he held his arm to his side. 'I have to help her, if both Zones don't get cleared then the Noise will never get Erased,' Neku thought to himself. Then Neku started to stumble little when he was trying to dodge other attacks. 'I think I've taken too many hits, I feel really weak right now. There has to be someplace where I can catch my breath.' Neku began to look around the area for a place to rest a little, but soon his vision started to blur. Then he looked over to Keisuke and thought of asking for him to help, but Neku managed to catch one thing out of place. Keisuke was smiling at Neku, not like before; the smile that he wore looked malicious and evil. A thought occurred to Neku, 'He…he planned this, he knew I didn't have a Psych, somehow he knew.'

Then Neku heard another voice in his head, one that was not his own, '_You're right, he did know._'

Neku's eyes widened, 'Who are you? Why are you inside my head?' Neku asked.

'_Right now, I'm someone who can help you, as for why I'm in your head I just happened to be listening to the same channel,_' the voice replied.

'Okay then, how can you help me?' Neku asked.

'_You're a Pin user, right?_'

'Pin user? I was one in the previous Game.'

'_You_ _can't stop being a Pin user, a person's Psych is already determined for them for the rest of their lives, just because this is a new Game it doesn't mean the rules are any different._'

'So, you're saying that I can still use Pins,' Neku dodged another one of the Frogs attacks, 'That's great and all, but the only problem is the only Pin I have is my Player Pin.'

'_If that's the case then I'll just give you one, but first thing's first, I want to what you plan to do with it._'

Neku dodged another attack, 'Duh, Erase the Noise.'

'_No, I want to know more than that. The Pin I'm willing to give you is_ _really powerful. If held in the proper hands it can help a person attain great power, so what I want to know is what you will use that power for. I don't want you to use it just as a means to survive I want you to have a specific reason as to why you need the Pin. What is it that you desire most?_'

Neku stayed silent both on the outside and the inside as he tried to dodge the attacks of the Frogs as best as he could.

'_I'm waiting for an answer._'

Neku sighed, 'This is the second time I've had to go through all of this, and now in order to get my friends back I have to learn to trust others again. Madoka, I already trust her completely, but that Keisuke guy, I don't trust him as far as I can throw him. I want the Pin so that I can have the strength to learn who I can truly depend on this world; I want the Pin so that I can save the people who I've already learned to trust. I want the Pin's help to illuminate the darkness that I've found myself in!'

There was no response for a moment and then, '_Check your right pocket._' Neku side stepped to the left to avoid another attack and then he reached into his pocket as he was told to do and pulled out a white badge that had a design of purple and yellow fireball on it. '_This Pin is called Phoenix Glow; it will do exactly what you want it to do. It can illuminate the darkness.'_

Neku gripped the Pin tightly in his right hand, 'Thanks, I owe you big time.' Neku held onto the Pin and focused on the Frogs, and then he suddenly felt a surge of energy form inside of him. His movements improved, his speed increased, and his reflexes became heightened. 'What is this, I feel like I can do anything now,' Neku thought to himself. Suddenly, Neku became enveloped in a yellow and purple aura that spread over his entire body. Neku gained a determined expression, "Okay, let's go." He ran up to one of the Frogs and punched it in the face, which caused it to instantly disintegrate. Neku smiled at his accomplishment and then he made quick work of the other Frogs in his Zone.

Keisuke's eyebrow started to twitch even more, 'What in the hell, how could he have gotten that Psych?!'

Soon Both Madoka and Neku's Zones were clear. The Noise was Erased. Neku withdrew his Pin and put it back into his pocket along with his Player Pin. Madoka ran up to him and did her best to try and hug him, "Neku-san we did it!" she shouted.

Neku patted her on her head again, "Yeah we did didn't we, and were really great out there, especially considering it was your first time," he said as he smiled at her. Madoka giggled at him.

"No! No! No!" Keisuke shouted. Neku and Madoka turned to him to see what was wrong. "This isn't the way it was supposed to go!" he continued to shout, "That cluster of Noise was supposed to be stronger than the rest, that's what Mars said! Dammit, I spent all this time waiting for some idiot Players to stop by and step into my trap, and this is the thanks I get!" Then Keisuke sighed and calmed down, "Oh well, that just goes to show that you shouldn't act like someone you're not." "You hear that Ishida?!" he shouted aloud, "I tried it your way, of just letting the Noise take care of them like we're supposed to, but that didn't work! So I'm going to handle this like I wanted to all along and just Erase them myself, all of these stupid plans to trick Players, it just isn't my style!" Keisuke glared at Neku and Madoka and then he cast that evil smile of his. "I like to do thing personally," he said as he slung his right arm down and made something pop out of his jacket sleeve. It was a little crimson ball which Keisuke threw at them and said, "Cherry Bomb!"

The little ball hit the ground next to them and then started to make a beeping sound. Neku and Madoka didn't know what to make of it so they just stood over the ball and watched it curiously as the beeping sound sped up and kept getting louder. "Move out of the way!" someone shouted as Neku and Madoka were suddenly grabbed and placed ten feet away from the ball before it suddenly exploded, making a medium-sized crater appear in the concrete.

"What the hell?" Neku said as he saw the crater.

"Idiot, I save your life and you're about to throw it away over something stupid. Newsflash, if you hear something beeping then you get out of the way!" someone shouted from behind Neku and Madoka. The two Players turned around and saw another guy. He was tall and he appeared to be around nineteen or twenty, he had dark skin and was slightly muscular and he also had brown eyes and black hair that was styled in corn rows. The male wore a gray hoodie with a black jacket over it that had a design of smiley face with X's for eyes and a stuck-out tongue; he also wore a pair of blue pants and a pair of black shoes. Neku noticed that this guy had a pair of black skeletal-like wings on him as well, he was another Reaper.

Keisuke glared at the Reaper, "Dammit Ishida, you were the one who gave him that Pin weren't you?!" he shouted.

The Reaper named Ishida simply replied, "It wouldn't have been fair if I didn't give it to him. You knew that he didn't have a Psych but you still led him into your parlor like he was a little fly. Worst of all, you dragged this little girl into it too," Ishida said as he pointed to Madoka.

Keisuke growled, "We are Reapers, we don't play by the rules, and we don't show any affection or fairness to the Players. Our job is to Erase them!" he shouted. Keisuke grunted and then he huffed. "You know what forget it. If you're not going to act like a real Reaper then I'll be one for the both of us," Keisuke pointed to his back, "Mars' camouflage is the only thing that ended up working in the end," when Keisuke said that a pair of black skeletal-like wings began to appear on his back. Neku and Madoka were surprised by this and Keisuke simply laughed at their confusion, "That's right I fooled ya good didn't I, you actually thought I was a shitty little Player like you two." Keisuke then began to walk closer towards the three of them. "You know, after that whole display you still didn't manage to tag the Reaper in charge, on yeah and that'd be me. Now guess what kiddos, you've only got ten minutes left, and I think after that battle you're much too tired to try and tag me. So instead of sitting around and waiting for you to disappear, why don't I just go ahead and Erase you right here?"

Neku glared at Keisuke and Madoka began to cower in fear behind Neku.

"Don't worry it will be quick and painless, mostly," he began to laugh.

"So you're the Reaper in change of the Wall, eh?" someone asked, causing Keisuke to stop laughing and check out who the new arrival was. Neku, Madoka, and Ishida also looked to see who the new arrival was. Standing, in the middle of the street was a lone boy who looked to be about eighteen. The boy had styled black hair which was frosted on the fringes, and he also had tanned skin and green eyes. He wore a blue hoodie over a yellow shirt with a design of a white comet on it; and he also wore a pair of black pants, a silver skull-shaped earring on his right ear, and a pair of shoes which had a design of a lightning bolt on them. The boy smirked at Keisuke and then said, "If you want someone to play tag with you that badly then I can give it a shot. How long did you say we have until time was up, ten minutes right?"

Keisuke glared at the boy.

"Here's a prediction, I'll beat you in five," the boy said as he held up five fingers.

* * *

><p>AN: Hope you guys liked this chapter. This was actually supposed to be a lot longer but I've decided to just split it up into two chapters for the sake of brevity. Next week is the exciting conclusion of the first Mission, Keisuke vs. Kazuma. Yes that other boy is Kazuma for those of who hadn't guessed that yet.


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: Keep up the work with the OCs; the ones I've gotten so far are great. Alright now here's the dramatic conclusion of the first Mission.

Disclaimer: Don't own the World Ends with You.

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><p><strong>Chapter Seven: Week 1, Day 1-Tag you're It, Kazuma vs. Keisuke<strong>

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><p><strong>Regular POV-<strong>

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><p><em>Shinjuku, Tokyo-August 2, 2009, 2:00 P.M. (August 2, 2009, 12:00 A.M. EST). <em>

In a small apartment room there is a boy sitting cross-legged on the floor. In front of him there is a tiny table with a computer on top of it. In the room there are many shelves stacked with manga, anime, video games, and many different figurines of varying shapes and sizes; on the walls of the room there are many different posters of top anime franchises or hit animated movies. This room is a pretty typical sight for someone who lives in Akihabara, the otaku paradise of Tokyo, but unfortunately this wasn't Akihabara. What is an otaku you may ask? For those of you who don't know, the word otaku is the honorific of the Japanese word taku, meaning home. However, the word otaku is not an honor to have at all. Otaku is extremely negative in meaning and is used to refer to someone who stays at home all the time and doesn't have a life; no social life, no love life, notta. An otaku has nothing better to do with their life so they pass the time watching anime, reading manga, playing video games, or surfing the internet; the latter usually has to do with creating blogs, programming things, or hacking. The best synonyms for describing an otaku are a nerd, home security guard, guru, or a neet. However, not all people believe that being an otaku is necessarily a bad thing. Heck in Akihabara being an otaku is the cultural norm, but sadly that isn't the case for the rest of Japan.

This boy was tall and slender, and had very pale skin. He had shaggy brown hair that was messy and unkempt and soft blue eyes. He wore a plain white t-shirt, a pair of gray sweat pants, a silver bracelet on his left wrist, and a pair of broad rimmed glasses. He was currently in a chat room and he was busy typing on his keyboard. As he typed each letter on the keyboard he thought about what he was going to say in his head. 'Is there any more to life than what I already know about it?' he typed, 'For almost sixteen years now I have devoted my life to being an otaku. I love the culture don't get me wrong but…there's this girl.' When he finished typing his message he pressed the send button and a few moments later he received a reply from someone using the username "kenbensin".

_You have someone you like otaku_wild? Your username does not do you justice, but more importantly I've been chatting with you for months now and this is the first I'm hearing of this, wtf?_

The boy started typing again. 'I've wanted to talk about it but I didn't think it was important since it was nothing serious. For the longest time I've just been watching her, admiring her from afar. Just like Utsumi-san.' He sent the message.

_First of all don't compare yourself to GE_*(This is referring to the manga GE-Good Ending. The main character of this manga is named Utsumi and he also admires the girl he likes from afar.) _, I get sick of your endless references sometimes_. _I take back what I said before, you are a definite otaku._ _Alright so tell me, why haven't you made a move yet "Utsumi"?_

'Are you kidding, I'm an otaku. At school people basically tend to stay away from people like me. I'm actually the only otaku in my entire grade.'

_Ouch! That's got be rough. So then tell me about this girl, what's she like?_

'She's wonderful; she's smart, pretty, athletic, kind to everyone, and…totally without a sliver of doubt out of my league. I've known her for about three years now, but in that time I haven't said a single word to her, much less made a move.'

_How can you go to school with someone for three years and not mutter a single word to them? Do you have any friends at all IRL?_

The boy sighed, 'Not a one. Pretty good otaku, huh?'

_Well sure, now that's the definition of an otaku. But can I ask you something, answer for real now okay. Do you really like this girl? Is she someone that you would rejoin the outside world in order to be with?_

The boy paused for a moment and then typed, 'Whenever she's around me…even if I can't see her…my stomach starts to flip and my cheeks turn bright red. Whenever she's near me I can smell her scent…jasmine, lemon, and mint. Her presence puts me on edge and makes me feel really weird. Isn't that what it means to like someone?'

_OMG! You have it really bad man! So tell me, who's this girl that you have a stalkerish crush on?_

'I don' think we're supposed to say people's real names on here.'

_Come on, it's not like we're revealing our real names here. Just tell me her name._

The boy sighed again, 'Fine, her name is Tsuroku Saatchi. Have you heard of her?'

_Tsuroku Saatchi? Would this by any chance be the Tsuroku Saatchi who attends Yamabuki High?_

'Yeah, do you know her?'

_Vaguely, a friend of mine knows her. Are you by any chance in the same grade as her?_

'Yeah, not in the same class though.'

_Well then I doubt she would know who you are without introducing yourself first. Who knows, she might really like you._

The boy shook his head, 'Nah, there's no way a girl like her could possibly go for someone like me.' Then the boy heard someone shout.

"Rinnosuke, lunch is ready!" a feminine voice shouted from outside the room. "Come and get it before I feed yours to Rika!"

The boy seemed to be put on edge by the loud voice, and then he quickly typed, 'Sorry, I have to go now, we'll talk later.'

_Wait; can it be the same time tomorrow? There's something I want to discuss with you._

The boy stared strangely at the message and then typed, 'Sure same time tomorrow.' Then the boy got up from the floor and then threw his door open and raced down the hall, "Nanami wait! I'm starving, don't feed my food to your dumb cat!" he yelled.

* * *

><p><em>Towa Records, Shibuya-August 2, 2009, 2:25 P.M. (August 2, 2009, 12:25 A.M. EST). Ten minutes remaining in the Mission.<em>

The arrival of the new boy sent a shock into the air. Neku and Madoka stared at the boy with a sense of both confusion and thankfulness. 'Oh please let this guy be for real about being a Player,' Neku thought.

The boy smiled and then said to Keisuke, "If you want someone to play tag with you that badly then I can give it a shot. How long did you say we have until time was up, ten minutes right?"

'Is that Oni-san here to help us?' Madoka thought.

Keisuke glared at the boy. 'Who the hell is this asshole? I didn't hear any warnings about another shitty Player showing up,' Keisuke thought.

"Here's a prediction, I'll beat you in five," the boy said as he held up five fingers.

Ishida stared at the boy while his mouth stood agape with surprise. 'Is this guy for real, I've never seen a Player talk like that to a Reaper, much less to a lunatic like Keisuke,' Ishida thought.

Keisuke growled and bore his teeth menacingly at the boy. "Who the hell are you?" he asked in a menacing monotone voice.

The boy smiled at Keisuke and then made a theatrical bow. "Kazuma Eturome, at your service," he said in a copycat monotone voice. Then he looked up again and said in monotone, "My friends call me Kazu," then he wagged his finger, "But you can't do that," and then he chuckled.

The reply only made Keisuke angrier, and he showed this by growling even deeper. Then Keisuke suddenly calmed down, and then he smiled and pointed at Kazuma. "You, dumbass Player who doesn't seem to know his place, why don't you just skedaddle for now," he said as he motioned for Kazuma to go away. Keisuke chuckled and pointed back at Neku and Madoka with his thumb, "You see I'm about to Erase those two other Players over there so I'm kind of busy, but if you go wait over there I promise I'll get to you as soon as possible."

"No," Kazuma simply said.

Keisuke glared at him and said, "Why not?"

Kazuma smiled and then said, "Because it is against my duty as a representative of the Players to not attempt and save my fellow teammates when they are in trouble," he talked in a way that made him sound like an old-timey superhero. Then Kazuma talked in his normal voice again, "Plus, I'd rather be Erased then let a stinking Reaper like you walk around like he owns the joint. You see when I was still alive I made it a duty of mine to put guys like you in their place." Kazuma started to walk up to Keisuke and he continued to talk, "Back when I had my life I was a little bit of a thrill seeker. Every now and then I would go out and pick fights with punks like you, and I always won of course. I also had a bad habit of turning everything into a challenge for me to overcome; I practiced free-borough and I did stupid things for the sake of looking cool. And ever since I died, I've been walking around Tokyo thinking to myself about whether or not my death should change the person that I was."

Keisuke's eye started to twitch, showing his rising anger. "I don't get what the hell you're talking about. What's all this shit got to do with what's going on right now."

Kazuma chuckled and then said, "I'm getting to that, I'm getting to that. Geez, you Reapers can be really impatient when you want to be." Kazuma continued walking and then he stopped when he was about five feet away from Keisuke. "My point is that I want to thank you," Kazuma said.

Keisuke was confused, "Thank me?"

Kazuma nodded, "You reminded me that if I don't continue to be a thrill seeker and a Hometown Huck that plenty of bastards like you will roam the street and terrorize other people. Which is why I'm going to give you the honor of having your ass kicked by none other than Zero Akuma, suburban daredevil," he said as he pointed to himself with his thumb.

Keisuke growled again and then he said, "You know what, I take back what I said before, I'll save the other two for later. I'm going to Erase you first!" Keisuke slung his right and left arms down and made two familiar crimson balls pop out of his jacket sleeves. "Cherry Bombs!" he yelled as he threw the balls right at Kazuma.

Neku and Madoka both yelled, "Get out of the way!"

The two bombs connected with each other and a loud explosion consumed the whole street, kicking up a lot of dust and smoke. After a few moments things settled and a huge crater was left in Kazuma's place. Keisuke grinned at the sight, "All bark and no bite," he said.

"Actually my bite is just as nasty, if not nastier than my bark," Kazuma said as he revealed himself to be behind Keisuke.

Keisuke turned around only to be met with a black shoe in his face, which he had to bend back in order to dodge. 'What the hell? My response to anything is fast as shit, but this guy stuck his leg up in the air to kick me in no time at all, I could barely respond,' he thought and then his eyes went wide, 'Don't tell me this guy knows…'

Kazuma chuckled a little and then he said, "I can tell by your expression that you probably figured it out. You Reapers are supposed to have increased physical abilities along with enhanced Psych Energy, right? In other words your reflexes and responses to any situation could be as fast as a fraction of a second. However, my Psyches are very special; they're meant to be so fast that nothing can react to them on time. Not to sound like a math whiz or anything but right now I can probably move at 0.000001 as a fraction of a second." Kazuma stuck his leg down from the air and then continued to talk, "So in other words I can probably move just as fast, if not faster than any Reaper, including the higher up ones." Then Kazuma smirked and said, "So how does it feel to know that a shitty Player is on the same par as you, eh Keisey boy."

Keisuke's eye twitched and then he growled at an unbelievable volume, and then he yelled at the top of his lungs, "That's it! When I'm through with you there won't be a single fucking scrap left! I will obliterate you; even the netherworld won't want to take your soul when I'm finished with it!" Keisuke lunged at Kazuma and then he was stopped when Kazuma stuck his finger out and touched him.

Kazuma smiled and said, "Tag you're it."

Neku's eyes widened, 'Unbelievable, it's just like that time with Beat,' he thought.

Madoka's eyes widened, 'I can't believe I thought Keisuke-san was scary, he's just stupid' she thought.

Ishida was trying his hardest to keep himself from laughing hysterically, 'I knew Keisuke was retarded when it came to situations like these, but to think he would actually forget what kind of battle it was,' he thought.

Keisuke's eyes widened and he backed up a few steps. His mouth hung agape and he stared at Kazuma in disbelief. "No! No! No! No! No!" Keisuke held his hands up to his head and then he started rocking back and forth, "No! No! No! No! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" he screamed. The three Players and the other Reaper all covered their ears with their hands trying to block out Keisuke's wailing.

When Keisuke finally calmed down, Kazuma took his hands away from his ears and then yelled, "Dude, volume! When someone beats you you're not supposed to throw a hissy fit! You're supposed to show some respect for them!" Then Kazuma calmed down and put his right palm up to his face, and he stated the passing time, "5:05, 5:04, 5:03, 5:02, 5:01, and five minutes on the dot. I'm a man of my word." Kazuma looked back at Neku and Madoka, "Hey the Wall should be clear now, so go ahead and reach Towa Records. I'll be there in a sec."

Neku nodded, "Right, come on Madoka."

Madoka nodded as well, and then the two Players headed over to Towa Records.

Then Kazuma turned back to face his losing opponent and saw that Keisuke was back to glaring at him. "You!" Keisuke growled as he pointed at Kazuma, "I swear tomorrow, the next day, the day after that, and all through the rest of this ten week fucking Game, I will donate my time specifically to Erasing you from the face of the fucking Earth! Screw other Players; you're the only one I want to kill!"

Kazuma chuckled and then said, "Well I'm happy to know that I mean so much to you Keisey, but the great thing about being me is that I get bad publicity a lot so if you want to be gunning for me you're gonna have to get in line."

Keisuke grunted and then he snapped his fingers and disappeared.

"Sorry about that, my Partner is a bit of a hothead," Ishida said as he walked up to Kazuma.

Kazuma turned to him and then whistled and said, "That's the understatement of the year, guy needs to take anger management or something."

Ishida chuckled and then said, "You're a very interesting Player. You said your name was Kazuma Eturome right?"

Kazuma nodded, "The one and only."

"I'm Jordan Ishida and I want you to know that I'm rooting for you and Neku Sakuraba to win the Game."

Kazuma looked over to Towa Records and he stared straight at Neku. "So that's that Neku Sakuraba guy huh," Kazuma scoffed, "He's probably going to be seeing a lot of guys like Keisey throughout the Reaper Game."

Ishida nodded, "So what are you going to do?" he asked.

"Truth be told, I was actually looking for him, a guy that can piss the Angels off so royally has to be strong. I may look and act tough but I could use all the help I can get," Kazuma responded. "But why do you care what I do?" he asked.

Ishida frowned and then he sighed. "I was always against this barbaric ritual. I dream of a world where one day we no longer need such a thing as the Reaper Game. A world where Mortals, Players, Reapers, the Higher Beings, and the Netherworlders all get along and live in harmony."

Kazuma chuckled, "Bold dream," he said.

Ishida nodded, "But I believe you two and others like you can make it happen." Ishida looked straight at Kazuma, "Don't let me down." Then he snapped his fingers and disappeared as well.

Kazuma looked down at his right palm and saw that the Timer was gone. "One down, sixty-nine to go," he said. Then suddenly the world went white.

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><p>AN: Thus ends the first Mission, and as for that boy at the start of the chapter, take a wild guess as to who it is. In other news, I am officially out of school for Christmas break, so this week I should be able to get at least one more chapter up. Till next time then.


	8. Chapter 8

A/N: Happy Holidays guys, hope that you're having a wonderful time doing…whatever it is you usually do for the holidays. I hope your celebrations were enjoyable, and I also hope that you're ready for the next chapter of TWIFWU. But first a warning of things to come; a couple of new characters will be introduced in this second mission arc, some gore is included discretely, there are going to be a lot of references given out by Rinnosuke the Otaku about otakuish things, and there will also be a more elaborate explanation on the function of Teams and Players. Anyways, enjoy reading.

Disclaimer: Do not own the World Ends with You, but the rights to the game would be an awesome Christmas present to get, right?

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><p><strong>Chapter Eight: Week 1, Day 2-Innocent<strong>

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><p><strong>Regular POV-<strong>

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><p><em>Minato, Tokyo-August 2, 2009, 2:30 P.M. (August 2, 2009, 12:30 A.M. EST). Five minutes remaining in the First Mission. <em>

The area of Minato was particularly quiet, only a few people walked the backstreet area that was the current location. Then suddenly a rush of sounds could be heard from a nearby alleyway. The sounds grew louder and louder until suddenly a boy burst through the shadows of the alley and ran out into the sunny streets. The boy was slightly short and looked to be about twelve; he had black hair and blue eyes. He wore a simple red t-shirt, a pair of khaki pants, and a pair of black shoes. The boy rushed out into the middle of the street and then he stopped and gasped for breath. Then he reached into his right pocket and frantically searched for something; a few seconds later he pulled out the all too familiar Player Pin. The boy was a Player in the Reaper's Game. "No fair. I just wanted to see my mom and dad again. I thought that I really had a chance. It's the first day and I'm already going to be Erased," the boy started to cry, "This isn't fair!" he mumbled through his tears. Then there came a rustling sound from the alley that the boy had just come out of. The boy looked back and an expression of terror claimed his face. "Oh shit! How could they have found me that quickly! I know that maze of alleyways like the back of my hand!"

The boy pulled up his right arm and looked at his palm. 'Five minutes left, I don't know if I can hold out that long!' the boy thought as he started to slowly back away from the alley. Meanwhile, the boy's tears kept flowing down his face as his fearful thoughts overtook his sense of reasoning. 'If I'm going to be Erased I'd rather just let it be because we ran out of time! I saw what those guys did to the others! They're monsters!' The boy's eyes went wide as a fireball suddenly exited the alley and flew towards him, grazing his cheek with a second-degree burn. The boy stumbled over in pain and fell to the ground on his bottom. His tears seemed to flow even more profusely because of the scorching pain that the burn inflicted to his cheek. Then suddenly four shadowy figures exited the dark alleyway. The second tallest of the four figures had their hair outlined as a puffball style with two drooping bangs on both sides of their head. The figure also had red eyes and a grimacing smile which was cast upon the defenseless Player.

"Aw, someone's crying," the figure said in a mocking voice, which showed that he/she was female based on her tone. "What's the matter? Why're you upset little boy?" she asked as her demonic smile deepened.

The tallest figure laughed. This figure was male based on his laugh; his hair was outlined as a crew cut and he had brown eyes which had the outline of glasses frames around them. "Geez girl, you are one genuine sadist. It's like you were born to make people miserable," he said.

The female figure laughed and then said, "What can I say? It's a calling."

The smallest figure spoke up. "Shatter-san, do we really have to Erase him?" the figure asked, showing that she was female based on her tone. "We haven't even attempted to beat the Mission yet, and we're almost out of time, see," she said as she showed her palm to the other female, named Shatter. The little girl's hair was long based on the outline of her shadow and she had big sky purple eyes with tiny colored specks on them.

Shatter smiled sweetly at the little girl and then she said, "Joy, remember the plan that we made. There are tons of other Players in the Game and only one team can rise to the top," she said as she raised one of her fingers. "So the best thing for us to do right now is to thin out the competition, and then we can focus on the Missions."

The girl named Joy frowned slightly and then she said, "Okay."

Shatter frowned at Joy and then she said, "Look, you don't have to do anything this time, me and the goon will handle it, so cheer up okay kiddo."

Joy smiled at Shatter and then she said, "Okay," with much more glee.

The boy with the crew cut and glasses grunted to get Shatter's attention and then he said, "Excuse me, but I'm no one's "goon", the only reason I agreed to team up with a psychopath like you is because I admire your blood lust. If I'm with you Shatter dear, my chances of survival in the Game go up to a woppin' big number." Then he nudged the shadowy figure next to him and said, "Ain't that right Pyros," he said with a chuckle.

The figure named Pyros simply shrugged and remained silent. Pyros' outline showed spikey hair that seemed to go in all directions, and he/she also had golden amber colored eyes which seemed almost haunting. He/she was also about a foot shorter than the boy with the crew cut.

Shatter glared at the boy with the crew cut and then said, "I don't need to take any lectures from Mr. Superior, 'kay Ian. You dumb asshole."

The boy named Ian chuckled again, "Sheesh, you're harsh aren't ya love," he said.

Shatter sighed and then turned her attention to the Player who was cowering in the street. Her demonic smile returned, "We're gonna have a lot of fun together," she said. "Ian!" she shouted.

"Right, right," Ian said and then he sighed, "Sorry mate, nothing personal…" Ian lifted up his right arm and aimed his hand at the other Player, "It's just business." Then suddenly a loud cracking sound was heard all throughout the area. The other Player seemed to become stiff and he fell backwards onto the concrete. Then a large crater appeared out of the ground below the Player and he seemed to be forced into the crater by an invisible force. The Player seemed to become incredibly strained and his face went all red.

Then Shatter walked out of the shadows and walked up to the large crater. The Player struggled to sit up and dodge, but all he could manage to move was his head by about an inch upwards. All he could make out was a jagged edged knife that was held in Shatter's hand. The Player's eyes went wide and then he dropped his head back down to the hard ground below him. A few seconds later Shatter was on top of the Player; "Now just hold still and let the doctor operate," Shatter said as her red eyes and malevolent smile bore into the Player's mind.

For a few moments the whole street was filled with horrible, blood-curdling screams. And with each passing scream Shatter's smile only seemed to grow. Soon the screams stopped and then Shatter pried the nameless Player's Player Pin out of his motionless hand. The Pin was caked in blood as was the entirety of the crater, and of course Shatter herself was covered head to toe in blood. Shatter smiled once again and then she squeezed the Pin in her hand until it burst into pieces, which then disappeared into thin air. After a few moments the unknown Player's body started to blur and fizz as if his body was a bad television channel, and then the Player also disappeared into thin air, along with all of his blood that was splattered everywhere.

Shatter climbed out of the crater and saw Joy rush up to her. "Shatter-san, look!" Joy exclaimed with glee as she showed Shatter her palm. There was no more Timer on her palm. "You were right Shatter-san; other Players did complete the Mission!"

Shatter smiled sweetly at Joy and patted her on the head, "You see, now do you understand what we have to do first?" Shatter asked.

Joy smiled and nodded and then she said, "Uhuh, we have to get rid of the Players that pose a threat to us winning the Game," she said.

"That's the spirit kiddo, and we'll do the same thing tomorrow," Shatter said as her sweet smile turned into her demonic one. Then the world went white, signaling the end of the first day of the Reaper's Game.

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><p><em>Scramble Crossing, Shibuya-August 3, 2009, 9:00 A.M. (August 2, 2009, 7:00 P.M. EST). <em>

"What are you going to do now? The Game's all but finished for you kiddo," Kazuma said.

Madoka seemed nervous and she kept looking from her right hand to Kazuma's hands. 'What should I do? I'm backed into a corner.' Madoka thought, and then she took a deep breath and reached out to touch Kazuma's right hand. Kazuma put up three fingers to match Madoka's left hand which resulted in him having three fingers up on his right hand.

"Heh, nice going but I haven't gotten one dead hand yet, meanwhile you're down to your last hand," Kazuma said and then he used his left hand to touch Madoka's left hand, resulting in Madoka adding another finger to her hand of three fingers. Then Madoka smiled with glee and gained a determined expression on her face.

"I'm splitting with the dead," she said, and then Madoka brought up her right hand and added two fingers onto it while subtracting two fingers on her left hand. Then Kazuma tagged his right hand on Madoka's right hand, causing three more fingers to appear on it and for Madoka to put her right hand away again.

Kazuma chuckled, "What was the point of that? It just caused you to go in a complete circle," he said.

Madoka shook her head, "Now I can do this," she said as she tagged Kazuma's right hand with her left hand, making five fingers appear on Kazuma's right hand.

Kazuma gained a shocked expression as he put his right hand down. Then he sighed, "Okay, you win."

Madoka jumped up off the ground in glee, "I won, I won," she shouted. Then Madoka smiled at Kazuma and the said in her soft voice, "Th-thank you for…showing m-me how to play…Cho-Chopsticks Kazu-Kazuma-san."

Kazuma smiled back at Madoka and then said, "Don't mention it Meow-Meow. Is it cool if I call you that by the way kiddo?" he asked.

Madoka nodded, "I…I like cats…s-so it's okay. B-but Kazuma-san, next time…cou-could we play Ch-Chopsticks on even ter-terms, even wh-when you gave me tha-that one hand handicap…I cou-could still te-tell that you were hold-holding back."

Kazuma became serious for a second and then he smiled and nodded again. "Sure thing Meow-Meow, oh and you should probably know that you're not really supposed to split your fingers with a dead hand; if you try that with anyone else besides me you'll probably get chewed out."

Madoka nodded, "Okay," she simply said. Then Madoka turned around and looked at a nearby bench where Neku sat. Neku was frowning slightly as he was holding his cellphone up to his face, most likely waiting for the Mission message. Madoka frowned slightly at Neku and then Kazuma noticed Madoka's change in mood.

"Guy doesn't really know how to loosen up does he, eh Meow-Meow?" Kazuma asked.

Madoka wouldn't take her eyes off of Neku but she still responded to Kazuma, "Neku-san is a good person; he's just in a lot of pain right now. He lost all of his friends to those mean guys who run this Game."

"Really, poor guy," Kazuma said as he looked at Neku also. 'He's the exact opposite of me; his motive for playing the Game isn't selfish at all. Even when he's still alive he's as bad off, if not worse, than the rest of us. But I can't help but wonder, what kind of person Neku Sakuraba is really? There's got to be more about him than just that serious tone,' Kazuma thought.

Madoka turned around and looked back at Kazuma. "So Kazuma-san, are you planning on joining our Team?"

Kazuma smiled at Madoka and then he frowned. "I'm not really sure Meow-Meow, for as long as I can remember I've been a solo act. It's been nothing but the "Kazuma show" for me forever now, I don't know if I'm ready to add any characters into my plot line yet."

Madoka frowned and then she looked down at the ground. "B-but Ka-Kazuma-san, ju-just because you've been a-alone all th-this time, tha-that doe-doesn't mean th-that you hav-have to be alone forever." Then Madoka looked up at Kazuma and then she smiled. "You're nice Kazuma-san, you saved me and Neku-san from that nasty Keisuke-san, and you taught me how to play Chopsticks. I think you would make a great character in our Team."

Kazuma smiled at Madoka and then he bent down and patted her on her head. "Thanks Meow-Meow," then he chuckled softly, "I guess there's even a place for a thrill-seeker like me to fit into." Then Kazuma stood up right and continued to talk. "But you know Meow-Meow; this is the first time I've heard you talk so fluently, you've barely stuttered at all. It looks like you're more self-confident when you're hopeful or happy, eh?"

Then Madoka blushed slightly and looked down at the ground. "I ha-have trou-trouble mak-making wor-words out loud, I do-don't know wh-why I do. I only j-just noticed th-that I did whe-when I met Ne-Neku-san."

Kazuma chuckled again and then he said, "Don't worry Meow-Meow; I'm sure as time goes on you'll turn into a great talker." Then Kazuma smirked and said, "I'm sure that would impress Neku."

Madoka blushed and looked up to Kazuma with sparkles in her eyes. "Really?" she asked and then she glanced back at Neku, and then she turned back to Kazuma and said with enthusiasm, "I-I'll d-do my be-best!"

Kazuma chuckled again, 'Looks like that's one reason she stutters, but she's probably still too young to understand those feelings,' he thought. 'The other thing is probably just natural shyness; she'll eventually grow out of it. It's funny she reminds me of…' then Kazuma's smile vanished for a second and then returned when he saw Madoka stare strangely at him. "Hey Meow-Meow, why don't we go see if Mr. Serious over there got a text on the new Mission? If not, we can come back here and have that rematch of Chopsticks," Kazuma said.

Madoka nodded and then she started to skip over to Neku's bench. "I really like Chopsticks now Kazuma-san," she said back to Kazuma, "And it was really nice that no other people interrupted our game even though so many of them walked past us."

Kazuma's eyes widened when Madoka said that. 'She doesn't know?' he asked himself. Then Kazuma pushed his thoughts aside and ran after Madoka. Soon, the two Players arrived at Neku's bench, being greeted with the sight of the spikey orange-haired Player fiddling with his cellphone.

"Hey, N-Neku-san gu-guess what? I be-beat Kaz-Kazuma-san at Cho-Chopsticks!" Madoka exclaimed.

Neku looked up from his phone and smiled at Madoka. "That's great squirt; you put the frosty haired goofball in his place."

"Hey, I take offense to that," Kazuma said and then he did a double-take and started to fake-cry. "Oh who am I kidding, it's true I am a goof."

Madoka giggled and then she saw that Neku had gone back to fiddling with his mobile. "Wh-what are you do-doing Neku-san?" she asked.

"I'm looking to see if I have any apps on my mobile that can help us," Neku said without looking up from his cellphone. When he saw that Madoka and Kazuma were confused he explained, "In the last Game, Players got several different applications on their phones that were meant specifically for help in the Game, they were a really big help to me and Shi…" then Neku frowned and remained silent.

"Hey…" Kazuma was about to say something to Neku when he was cut off by the sound of heavy metal, coming out of nowhere. Neku and Madoka covered their ears as the loud music erupted throughout the area. However, Kazuma seemed to be undeterred by the loud music and he simply reached into his pocket and pulled out a dark green cellphone which had lots of dents and nicks on it. Kazuma opened the cellphone and the music turned off, he then said, "Hey, I think the Mission's here."

Then Neku felt a vibration come from his phone. "Yeah, you're right," he said.

Then Madoka pouted and said, "No fair, bot-both Neku-san and Ka-Kazuma-san have phones, wh-why don't I ha-have one." Even when she was upset she still stuttered. Then the three Players heard a sweet meowing that sounded like it came from a kitten, the sound kept repeating itself until Madoka reached into her pocket and pulled out a pink cellphone that had a kitten shaped topper on it. Madoka opened the phone and then the meowing sound stopped. Madoka smiled and then exclaimed gleefully, "Yay, now I have a cellphone too."

"Hmm, the Angels must have given you a phone since you didn't already have one," Neku stated a matter of factly.

Kazuma chuckled, "Now your nickname really suits you," he said.

Then Neku turned his attention to Kazuma, "But seriously, what's up with your message alert?" he asked.

Then Kazuma huffed and looked away from Neku. "What's up with you?" he replied to Neku, "You don't even recognize the awesome music of "Maximum the Hormone" when you hear it?"

Neku remained silent and instead shifted his attention to the new message he had gotten on his cellphone. Neku opened it and read the contents.

_Use the Warp feature in your cellphones to go to Akihabara. When you're there, find a copy of the first volume of the new hot manga "Daisuke, watashitachi no ma de kami". Hold onto the manga until the Timer reaches zero, and all Players who are holding a copy of the manga when that happens will receive a special reward. Time Limit is two-hundred and forty minutes. Fail and face Erasure. –Reapers_

_P.S. - The manga is incredibly popular so if you find a copy hold onto it for dear life._

Neku looked up and saw that Kazuma and Madoka were also reading the message, and after a few moments they looked up from their cellphones as well. "Awesome, I haven't been to Akiba in a while," Kazuma said, "Hey if there's time; can we stop by at my favorite maid café?"

"First thing's first," Neku said, "We have to find that mang…Ouch," Neku was cut off when another burn was inflicted on his right palm. He turned it over and saw that another Timer had been put on it. Then he looked up and saw that Madoka and Kazuma were grimacing in pain as well.

After a few moments, Kazuma asked Neku, "When are we supposed to get used to that?"

Neku replied, "I got used to it around the second week that I played, but that was only because I was running on pure adrenaline to save…never mind." Neku looked back into the applications of his phone and saw the Warp application. "Okay, check your mobiles for the Warp app and then select Akihabara." Madoka and Kazuma listened to Neku and the three of them select Akihabara as their Warp Spot. A few seconds later the world around them went white and then they were gone.

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><p><em>JR underpass, Akihabara-August 3, 2009, 10:30 A.M. (August 2, 2009, 8:30 P.M. EST).Two hours and thirty minutes remaining in the Mission.<em>

A boy was kicked down to the grassy null at the underpass. He was tall and slender and he had very pale skin, messy brown hair, and a pair of light blue eyes that were hidden behind broad framed glasses. He wore a green t-shirt with the word "Believe" printed on it in black font, a pair of khaki pants, a pair of black and white shoes, and a black backpack. He was kicked right in the face and now blood was streaming out of his mouth and nose, which was probably broken. A female laugh was heard coming from the shadows of the underpass, and then a second later a female exited from the underpass. She was tall and pale as well compared to the boy, but she had dark red eyes that seemed befitting of a monster and black hair which was styled into the puffball Lolita style; both puffballs were a dyed orange, and a pair of bangs, which drooped on both sides of her face, were dyed orange as well. The girl wore black shade of lipstick on her lips and a healthy dose of mascara around her eyes; she also wore a jean vest and jean skirt, a purple shirt, knee-high black and orange striped socks, and a pair of black shoes.

The girl continued to laugh and then she said, "What's the matter Rinnosuke-kun, don'tcha want to play anymore?"

The boy named Rinnosuke seemed to shudder and panic. "Kimiko…I knew I shouldn't have trusted you. Meeting up on the street, saving you from that musician guy, it was all an act wasn't it?!" he panicked.

The girl smiled malevolently and then said, "Ding, ding, ding, give the boy a prize. Oh and by the way, Kimiko's a fake name; I'm known as Shatter," she said as her smile deepened.

"Yeah, and my name's not "musician guy" either, it's Ian," another person said as a boy stepped out from behind a nearby support pillar of the underpass, "Ian Crowesby," the boy said. The boy looked to be about seventeen, he was very tall and he had dirty blonde hair that was styled in a crew cut and he had brown eyes that lied behind a pair of wire frame glasses. He wore a pair of denim jeans, a black t-shirt which had the words "Maximum the Hormone" written in street Kanji and outlined in red on it, and a pair of red and black shoes; he also wore a black guitar case on his back and strapped around his neck, a pair of spike covered bracelets, and chain necklace. "Sorry about the whole gag mate but it was the only way to get you to lower your guard so we can swipe your manga."

Rinnosuke looked confused. "Wait, that's what you're after?! By all means take it; I can just go buy another one! "Daisuke, watashitachi no ma de kami" is not worth risking my life over!"

Shatter laughed again and then she said, "But you see the thing is we want to kill you."

Rinnosuke's eyes widened, 'How can she say something like that with such a straight face?! Is she a demon?!' he thought. "Why?! Why do you have to kill me?!" he asked.

"Because you can see us," another person said. A little girl stepped from behind another one of the underpass pillars and at the same time so did another boy. The little girl was the one that had spoken; she looked to be about ten years old, and she had pale skin, big sky purple eyes that had little colorful specks around them, and long ivory colored hair that faded into raven black at the end. She wore a black Lolita dress with pink ruffles, a pair of black leggings, and a pair of black skating shoes; she also wore short sleeved black hoodie with a long sleeved white sweater over her dress, a pair of black headphones with glowing blue accents around her neck, a sunset orange ribbon that was also worn around her neck, a black sun hat, and a pair of sakura pink arm warmers. "Since Rinnosuke-san can see us that means you're a Player too, but we all thought that the only live one was Sakuraba-san," the girl said.

The other boy looked to be around fourteen, he had pasty skin, dark blue eyes, and spikey hair that was dyed in three layers of yellow, orange, and red. He wore a black jacket, a long sleeved shirt with black and white horizontal stripes, a pair of blue jeans, and a pair of white shoes. The boy had a dour expression on his face and he remained silent.

Rinnosuke looked at the two new arrivals and then back at Shatter and Ian. "Who are you people?! Why are you all dressed in funky outfits?! What do you want with me?!"

Shatter smiled and then she said, "I'm Shatter, the blonde dumbass over there is Ian, the girl in black and pink is Joy, and we don't know the silent guy's name so we just call him Pyros…on account of…" Shatter nodded her head at Pyros and he nodded back in understanding. Then he pulled his hand back into the air and then released his arm as if he was throwing a fastball, which then turned into a fireball that was aimed at Rinnosuke. Rinnosuke barely managed to doge the fireball as it singed the grass behind him. Shatter laughed again and said, "…his Psyches."

Then Shatter walked up to Rinnosuke and continued talking. "We can't be seen by mere Mortals because…we're really dead," she said, getting a shock out of Rinnosuke. "Right now we're in the middle of a game made by the Grim Reapers and Angels over whether or not we get to be brought back to life. The Team that's going to win the Game is us…Team Shitsuren." Then Shatter crouched down beside Rinnosuke and whispered in his ear, "To do that we have to thin out the number of Players competing, and all Players hold that Pin you showed me. It's a shame too, I thought you were really cute," she said and then she chuckled. Shatter pulled out her knife and soon the underpass was filled with screams of pain and anguish.

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><p>AN: Alright now a big thank you to one of my fans, **Rhyme13kh14Xion8**, who came up with Joy. The next chapter is a day in the life of Rinnosuke, a flash back to the events that led up to this.


	9. Chapter 9

A/N: Warning, this chapter of TWIFWU is mostly narrated by Rinnosuke (Rin). There will be a few references to manga, anime, games, and some other things otaku related things.

Disclaimer: I do not own the World Ends with You, but I do own Rin and I love him as if he was my own son.

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><p><strong>Chapter Nine: Week 1, Day 1-RinnosukeRin**

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><p><strong>Rinnosuke's POV-<strong>

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><p><em>Inside Maeda Apartment. Ochiai, Shinjuku- August 3, 2009, 9:00 A.M. (August 2, 2009, 7:00 P.M. EST). Four hours remaining in the Mission.<em>

"Rinnosuke, get up already! You can't sleep in today, not today!" I heard a feminine voice shout at me and then I felt someone tugging on my arm in an attempt to pry me out of bed. That voice always woke me up every morning and it always set me on edge, it belonged to my little sister, Nanami. Don't get me wrong I loved her and all but…what's the best way to put it…she kind of scared me. I opened my eyes and saw my sister already up and dressed for the day. Her long lavender hair was already brushed and styled into her curved tip hairstyle, and her silver eyes didn't have a single trace of sleep dust on them. She already was wearing her outfit for the day, a yellow satin shirt, a purple skirt, and a pair of knee-high white socks. Nanami glared at me and then grabbed one of my pillows and shouted, "Wake up, idiot!" she wailed on me with the pillow.

She finally stopped when I stood up right in bed and exclaimed, "Okay, okay, I'm up!"

Then Nanami hit me once more with the pillow and said, "That's for not waking up sooner."

I laughed slightly out of fear of being hit again. Remember when I said I was afraid of Nanami, well this is what I meant; she's like a nosey sister mixed with a nagging mom and with a sprinkle of demon added in for good measure. Trust me; if you had a tsundere little sister like her you would think the same thing, the only problem with Nanami is that she barely every shows her kind side to me. But that does not mean I am a siscon (A/N: Tsundere is a term for girls based off of anime that means they are extremely cold and are only kind at certain times which mostly relates to the person they love. Siscon is a term used to describe someone who has an attraction to their sister, it is the noun form of the term "sister complex"). I got out of bed and stood up next to her; she was two feet shorter than me, but I felt three feet shorter than her. "Sorry Nanami," I said as I rubbed the back of my head in nervousness, "I was up late last night chatting with my friends and I…"

Nanami cut me off when she said, "Friends, what friends? Last time I checked you don't have any friends besides those people you talk to on those Internet chat rooms."

I mumbled, "Well they're kind of my friends."

Nanami glared at me again and then she shouted, "You don't know any of those people you talk to, they might not be who they say they are at all, and they might even be weirder than you! I can't believe I have to have this conversation with you again, seriously isn't the situation between us reversed!"

I cringed slightly and then I squeaked, "Sorry, sorry, you're right; I should never trust a person until I've met them for real. Please don't hurt me!" as I said that last part I got onto my knees and begged Nanami for forgiveness. To reiterate and elaborate…my little sister scared the shit out of me.

Nanami put her hands on her hips and then she sighed. "Honestly Rinno, sometimes I feel like I'm the older sibling between the two of us."

I got up off my knees and then I smiled at Nanami. She used her nickname for me from when she was little so I knew it was safe. 'I guess now's a good as time as ever to ask,' I thought to myself. Then I began to chuckle nervously and touch my pointer fingers together, and then I looked away from Nanami's eyes. "So…um," I beat around the bush at first and then I blurted out in a panicked tone, "May I please go to Akiba today?!"

I felt a chill run up my spin and then I dared to glance back at Nanami, and what I saw were her silver eyes glaring right at me. Daggers seemed to stab at my heart and soul. Then an aura seemed to envelop around Nanami and she began to shake profusely, and then finally she muttered/partially screamed, "What?!"

I was even more afraid now, but I knew if didn't respond that I would be most likely killed so I quickly stuttered, "Th-the fir-first volume of "Daisuke, watashitachi no ma de kami" is being rele-released today, and I preo-preordered a copy for myself at Mandarake, so I hav-have to go pick it up." I nervously laughed and rubbed the back of my head. Then I heard a sniffle and I saw that Nanami was crying. 'She hardly ever cries, what's up with her today?' I asked myself.

Nanami saw me looking at her face so she did the best she could to wipe away her tears and then she said through a slightly tear-choked voice, "Rinno, you promised me yesterday that we would spend today together," then she stomped her feet on the floor and started throwing a temper tantrum. "You promised, that we could do whatever I wanted to do, you promised!" she shouted.

I felt really bad. I sighed and thought, 'Sometimes I forget that no matter how she acts she's still only eleven.' Then I grabbed Nanami and pulled her into a hug, after a few moments of embrace she started to calm down and then I said to her over her shoulder, "I'm not breaking my promise okay, I'm going to head over to Akiba, walk into Mangakare and pick up my manga, and then race back here and spend the rest of the day with you." I pulled away from her slightly and looked at her face, "Okay?"

Nanami nodded slightly and then she dried her tears. Then she simply said, "Two hours."

I was confused, "Huh?"

She held up two of her fingers and said, "Two hours is your time limit. It's 9:05 right now; if you're not back here in this apartment at 11:05 then I'm going to be upset."

I blinked with confusion and then I laughed jokingly. "You can't be serious right? The train ride to Akiba and back takes at least an hour."

Nanami shrugged her shoulders and said, "Well I guess you'll just have to be quick about getting your manga then." Nanami then exited my room and said, "Don't keep me waiting Rinno."

At that moment I felt adrenaline course through my veins as I ran to my closet and hastily put on my green t-shirt with the word "Believe" printed on it in black font, my pair of khaki pants, my black and white shoes, and my black backpack. Then I ran over to my dresser and grabbed my broad framed glasses, after that I burst through my door and ran down the hall where I saw Nanami sitting at the kitchen table eating a bowl of cereal and watching the news on the television. While I was heading to the door I almost tripped over Nanami's pet cat Rika. She was a fluffy white furball who seemed to get along with everyone except for me; when I almost tripped over her, Rika responded by hissing at me. "Dumb cat," I muttered under my breath, and then I headed out the door quickly to make it to the train station on schedule.

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><p><strong>Regular POV- <strong>

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><p><em>Inside Maeda Apartment. Ochiai, Shinjuku- August 3, 2009, 9:07 A.M. (August 2, 2009, 7:07 P.M. EST). Three hours and fifty-three minutes remaining in the Mission. <em>

Nanami continued to watch the news as Rinnosuke left the apartment. They were doing a special sports program now for a familiar daredevil. "_You know him as "Zero Akuma", but what you don't know is who he really is._" They put a picture of Kazuma up on the screen. "_For the past four years, the mystery man known only by his persona has proven time and time again that no challenge is too great for him. However, his latest video which was released last night over his website revealed a shocking development. Let's roll the clip now,_" the news announcer said.

Then there was a flash and the screen changed from the news room to a video of a far off building. Then suddenly something jumped off of the building, just as it began to implode. The camera zoomed in and showed that the person who jumped off of the building was "Zero Akuma"; he shouted at the top of his lungs, "_Yeah!_ _You can suck it Tokyo!_" Then the video suddenly switched to another scene that showed "Zero Akuma" lying face down on the ground with his body mangled and his parachute dropped behind him. "_Oh my God, Zero!_" the person holding the camera shouted; he tried pushing him over to see if he was just knocked out but then he was greeted with the sight of blood erupting from his head. "_Oh my God! Oh my God!_" the person looked up and down the street and shouted, "_Help someone, help!_"

Then the video ended and the scene changed back to the newsroom. "_Ladies and gentleman, the young man that has brought the urban youth of Tokyo entertainment and joy over the years is dead. Judging from the time that the video was taken we _estimate_ that he has been that way for four days now. If anyone has any information on the true identity of this young man please contact the Shinjuku Police Department._ _We now go to Desoray Maotimashi for general news in the going ons of Tokyo. Desoray._"

The scene shifted to a woman with long black hair and green eyes. "_Unfortunately, there are more tragedies today_," she said. "_The big bus accident that happened in Shibuya two days ago is still a hot topic issue as the cause of the accident has still not yet been confirmed. However, we now know the whole death total that occurred in this travesty. Seven people lost their lives; four of them were highschoolers that were simply heading home after being let out of club activities at their school. As of now the names of the victims have not been released to the public but we will continue to provide coverage as this story goes on._" "_In other news, it has been thirteen days now since the last known attack of the "Ueno Slasher". If you'll remember, the "Slasher" has given a new meaning to the term serial killer in the three months that he has been at large, stacking up a total amount of thirty bodies in Ueno, all the bodies having been reported with multiple stab wounds from a single serrated-edged knife,_" the news reporter said. "_As of now there has been no recent news on the "Slasher", leaving the big questions of where is he? And what is up to? Now to all of you out there be on your guard, no I.D. has been given of as a suspect to the heinous crimes, so for now the "Slasher" is in the wind._"

Nanami turned off the TV and said to herself, "I can't watch anymore of that." Then she sighed, "So much death on the news nowadays. I swear if Rinno gets in an accident like that and by some miracle survives, I'll be the one that ends up killing him." Then Rika hopped up on the chair next to Nanami and meowed at her. Nanami petted Rika, making her purr, and then she said, "I know I shouldn't be so cross with him Rika but I just can't help it, Rinno is seriously too trusting of everybody. I just don't know how he's going to make it in the real world." Rika meowed again and Nanami replied, "You're right," then Nanami sighed, "I'm just upset because he promised that we could hang out together today, we've barely spent any time together at all this summer. And then there's the big thing that I had planned today too." Nanami petted Rika again and then she giggled and said, "I betcha that dummy even forgot what today was. He does it every year. Seriously Rika, how can someone not remember their own birthday?"

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><p><strong>Rinnosuke's POV- <strong>

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><p><em>Shimo-Ochiai Train en route to Akihabara- August 3, 2009, 9:22 A.M. (August 2, 2009, 7:22 P.M. EST). Three hours and thirty-eight minutes remaining in the Mission. <em>

As the train was moving down the tracks, I held onto the overhead handle with my right hand while I observed an object in my left hand. It appeared to be a button that you could stick onto things, but something about it really struck me as odd. It was pretty much all black, except for the large white skull decal on it; but other than the odd design there wasn't really anything peculiar about it. 'Then why…why do I feel different when I hold this button in my hand?' I asked myself as I turned the button over in my hand. When I held the button I felt really light, lighter than air even; it was like I was a piece of paper floating in the wind. Then I pinned the button on the left strap of my backpack, and I noticed that my sense of lightness had disappeared; I felt as heavy as a rock now.

Even after I put it on my backpack, I continued to stare at the button in awe and confusion. 'This thing is really weird. Was it an accident that I just found it at the station? Or was someone giving me this as a gift?' I mentally sighed, 'If it's the latter I would have much preferred a Death Note (A/N: Watch or read Death Note if you have not done so already, it is a great anime/manga). But I wouldn't have used it at all; it would have just been a cool collector's item. Seriously, what kind of sadistic person would even consider killing someone?' I sighed outwardly this time, 'But I suppose a lot of people have considered it, considering how many murders have taken place since the beginning of time. When I become a detective I hope I can make a difference with those kinds of people.'

That's right I want to be a detective when I grow up. I've always been interested in playing crime related games or reading crime related manga. But if I did become a cop I want to be an honest one; I'm not going to be one of those crooked ones who takes bribes or breaks the law themselves. But again, I'm just going on what I've read and seen. I don't know any actual crooked cops.

I continued to stare at the button until I got the strangest sense that someone was watching me. I turned my head slightly to the right and I met eyes with another boy…at least I think it was a boy. He/she looked slightly younger than me and also shorter than me. He/she had light peach skin, very small limbs, short honey blonde hair made up of curls and ringlets, and green eyes that were slightly frosted over. He/she wore a white blouse with a red ribbon tied around the collar, black knee-high shorts , and a black and grey jacket; he/she also wore long knee high socks which had a very light cornflower blue tint, simple black boots, and a thin bracelet on his/her left wrist. My attention turned to his left wrist, and I saw that he had a tattoo on it that looked like an Egyptian Ankh.

The boy/girl continued to stare at me for a moment, and then when he noticed that I saw him he just smiled and waved at me. 'What the fuck?' I thought to myself. Then I felt someone else stare at me and my gaze shifted to a large man who sat next to the boy/girl. He was a really tall guy who had a slim physique with a bit of a muscle tone. His ears were free-lobed and he had two holes pierced in his right one, his cheekbones were angular, his collarbones looked slightly sharp, and his nose was triangular and slightly pointed; he must have been foreign. He had fair-white skin, thinly shaped eyebrows and lips, short ash-blonde hair that looked windswept and slightly spikey, and dark-blue eyes that were completely frosted over. The man wore a simple fitting black long-sleeved top and matching pants with a dark violet sash wrapped round for what I guessed was a somewhat urban look; he also wore a thin grey top, several bangles and bracelets, a ring on his right middle finger, a red bindi on his forehead which complimented the three stripe tattoos on his cheeks, a row of black diamonds around his throat, and a pair of black strapped sandals. The man also had an Egyptian Ankh tattoo on his left hip, which made me think that the two people were related in some way. The man simply cast a glare in my direction and I turned away from their sight.

'Who the hell are those guys? Why did I get a strange feeling from them?' I asked myself. 'A big foreign guy and a person that reminds me of Yukimura-chan or Yukimura-kun (A/N: Yukimura is a character in the manga "Boku wa Tomodachi ga Sukunai" and in the anime "Haganai". She convinced herself that she was a boy and formed a relationship with the protagonist Kodaka Hasegawa, who she believed could help her to become a manly man. She is a really cute, but delusional girl).Then the overhead announcement for the train blocked out my thoughts.

"_Passengers please be advised we'll be arriving at Akihabara's JR Station in five minutes._"

'Alright enough weirdness, I've got to focus. Remember Rinnosuke, head straight for Mandarake and don't look back, browse a little and then grab your manga; then hightail it back to the station and head back to Ochiai. Your life depends on you getting back to the apartment on time. If you don't make it back, you are in all likelihood going to be killed by your little sister.' After giving myself a rousing peptalk, I was ready to put my plan into action. I pumped my fist in the air to show my enthusiasm and when the train stopped and the doors opened, I rushed out into the station and ran towards Mandarake.

* * *

><p><strong>Regular POV-<strong>

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><p><em>JR Station- August 3, 2009, 9:30 A.M. (August 2, 2009, 7:30 P.M. EST). Three hours and thirty minutes.<em>

The last two people to get off the train were those two people that Rinnosuke had seen. As they stepped onto the train platform the boy/girl started talking in an Irish feminine sounding voice; "Hey Michel, do you think that guy thought I was a boy or a girl?" he/she asked the tall foreign guy.

The man named Michel remained silent and only responded by looking at the boy/girl.

The boy/girl giggled, "You're right, who am I kidding," he/she said. "I suppose smiling and waving at him didn't help the situation either. He probably just thinks I'm some sort of typical freak people meet on trains." Michel started to walk away from the train and the boy/girl followed him as he/she rested his/her hands behind his/her head. Then he/she sighed and said, "You know, he could have been our third if we had just asked him. Remember we still need to make a Team with three more people; just the two of isn't going to cut it."

Michel looked over his right shoulder at the boy/girl and then he shook his head.

The boy/girl sighed again. "You saw that Player Pin he had on his backpack; he's a Player just like us. An odd one but still, who are we to complain? Face it, in any group we're the ugly ducks. We stand out more than any foreigner, and we are foreign so that doubles my analogies' power."

Michel stopped in his track and turned around to meet the boy/girl face to face. Then he simply shook his head.

The boy/girl was slightly confused until a flash of insight overcame him/her. "Oh, you think it's better for him to disappear than have to go through something like this."

Michel pulled out his Player Pin from his pants' pocket and then held it in his hand like he was making an attempt to crush it.

The boy/girl nodded in understanding and then said, "You don't want to go along with the Game at all do you? I can understand that, I mean we both heard the rules, there's a strong risk of absolute death in every step we take."

Michel nodded and then he put away his Player Pin and began to walk away.

The boy/girl placed his/her arms behind his/her head again and followed Michel. "Don't worry Mich, we're going to get back our lives and things will go right back to normal," the boy/girl said. "But even if that doesn't happen, I'll be fine as long as I'm with you."

Michel looked over his shoulder again and smiled at the boy/girl. Then he motioned for him/her to grab onto his hand.

The boy/girl smiled and then grabbed onto Michel's hand. "Willow and Michel together forever," he/she said with a giggle.

* * *

><p><em>Mandarake- August 3, 2009, 9:45 A.M. (August 2, 2009, 7:45 P.M. EST). Three hours and fifteen minutes remaining in the Mission.<em>

Mandarake is one of the most famous manga stores in Akihabara. It's a large black building that overlooks many of the other shops in otaku and technology based city. Rinnosuke ran up to the black building began to pant. "Made…it," he huffed, "And…I…still have…plenty of time," he said to himself as he looked up at a nearby advertisement ticker. Then Rinnosuke heard a sweet melody coming from nearby and he turned to see what it was. There was a guy who looked to be about his age standing outside of Mandarake and playing a black guitar. The boy was very tall; he had dirty blonde hair that was styled in a crew cut and he had brown eyes that lied behind a pair of wire frame glasses. He wore a pair of denim jeans, a black t-shirt which had the words "Maximum the Hormone" written in street Kanji and outlined in red on it, and a pair of red and black shoes; he also wore a black guitar case on his back and strapped around his neck, a pair of spike covered bracelets, and chain necklace.

The boy sang as he played the song "I W8 4 U" on his guitar. "Make you real and honest, make it worth it all; make the pain melt away. Don't throw away another day, take a new avenue. Look inside you will find, the way you lie."

Rinnosuke watched the boy play his guitar and then he thought to himself, 'That guy's pretty good.' Rinnosuke smiled and then he walked up the guitarist, and then he saw the guitarist's case was wide open. 'So he's a beggar,' Rinnosuke thought as he looked over the guy's guitar case, seeing nothing inside. 'Looks like he hasn't gotten that much luck yet.' Rinnosuke reached into his pants' pocket and pulled out a black wallet, and then he pulled out a couple of Yin notes and tossed them into the case. Then suddenly the music stopped playing and Rinnosuke met the gaze of the guitarist.

"Can I help you, mate?" the guitarist asked, revealing a slight European accent.

Rinnosuke shook his head and said, "No, I was just giving you some retribution for your music." Rinnosuke pointed to the money that he had dropped into the guitar case.

The guitarist looked towards his case and then he looked back at Rinnosuke. "I appreciate it, but I'm not playing for scraps mate. I'm just playing because I like playing."

Rinnosuke blushed and then he laughed nervously, "Sorry about that, I didn't mean to offend you."

The guitarist smiled at Rinnosuke and said, "It's cool, thanks for thinking my music is boss man." Then the guitarist looked up at the Mandarake building behind him and then he asked Rinnosuke, "You hear to get your hands on that new manga?"

Rinnosuke nodded and replied, "I preordered it, I'm just here to pick up my copy."

"Hey could you do me a favor?" the guitarist suddenly asked. "A friend of mine's in there right now but she's been in there for an hour at the least and I'm getting pretty sick of waiting. Could you tell her that I'm out here and I'm ready to go? She's really inconspicuous, find someone who looks suspicious and that's her."

Rinnosuke nodded and replied, "Sure I can do that. It might take me a while to find her though."

The guitarist nodded in understanding and then he strummed his guitar and said, "Take your time, I'll be right here."

Rinnosuke nodded again and then he headed inside Mandarake.

A few moments later, the guitarist pulled out a red and black cellphone from his pants' pocket. He opened it and went to the text menu and then he typed a message.

_Another rabbit showed up, and this one's got the manga for the Mission. Do you want the fox to strike now?_

He sent the message and a few seconds later he received a reply.

_Stick to the plan genius. I'm going to be the one that makes the final move, you said it yourself remember. Slaughtering is what I'm good at. –Shatter_

The guitarist chuckled and said, "Ya got that right you psychotic bitch." Then he strummed his guitar again and continued playing his song, "Tell me you lost it! Tell me you lost it! Whatever it takes you know I won't let you wait!"

* * *

><p><strong>Rinnosuke's POV- <strong>

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><p><em>Inside Mandarake- August 3, 2009, 9:55 A.M. (August 2, 2009, 7:55 P.M. EST). Three hours and five minutes remaining in the Mission.<em>

I strolled up and down the endless rows of manga, trying to find the girl that the musician guy was talking about. After searching for ten minutes and coming up empty, I started to doubt the guy's claim. I sighed, 'Maybe he was just messing with me for pitying him with that cash,' I thought to myself. 'I mean seriously, "suspicious", it's a manga store, pretty much everyone here is "suspicious" in one way or anoth…' my thoughts were interrupted when I saw a very suspicious character in the back of the Action/Adventure aisle. She wore a large tan leather jacket which pretty much covered her from her neck to her knees, a pair of dark sunglasses, a red beanie, and a pair of black hiking boots; the only reason I could tell she was a girl was her long raven black hair that flowed out from under her red beanie. 'I guess she would go kind of overboard on my whole "suspicion is neutral" theory,' I thought to myself as I approached her. She was busy reading a manga so she didn't even notice me when I approached her. I tried calling out to her to get her attention, "Hey, you over there!"

However, she didn't even acknowledge me, so I continued to walk up to her and then when I was directly behind her, I tapped her shoulder. "Hey," I said softly. Her reaction was bigger than I expected when she suddenly jolted up from her "nose buried in her book" position. Then she sort of mini screamed and tried to run away to the left of the aisle, but then she ended up tripping because of her heavy jacket and boots. She hit the floor hard and knocked off her glasses and beanie in the process. I immediately ran to her aid and tried to shift her over onto her back. "Hey, are you okay?!" I asked out of concern.

She opened her eyes slowly and revealed a dark green iris. Then she slowly sat up right and then rubbed her forehead. "I think so," she said in reply to my question, "My head just kind of hurts." I noticed all of her facial features now; she had snow white skin, cheeks that were lightly dosed with freckles, and dark green eyes.

'Wait a minute, something about her appearance? I recognize this girl from somewhere, but where?' Then it hit me like a brick; I jerked my head around sideways to one of the front counters and saw a poster of a girl with long raven black hair, dark green eyes, and all the other same facial features as the "suspicious" girl. The girl in the poster wore a pink satin outfit decorated with glitter. I turned my head back to the girl to see that she was still rubbing her head. 'Oh my God! Oh my God!' my mind went into over drive. "You're Hiori Nambaki!" I shouted in glee.

The girl's eyes widened and then she stood up on her feet in a flash and covered my mouth with her hands. Then she whispered to me, "I'm not okay, I'm not who you think I am! I am not Junior Idol: Hiori Nambaki!" I smiled when she said that; and then realizing her mistake she took her hands away from my face and picked up her beanie and glasses, and then she quickly put them back on. Then she turned to me and whispered in a harsh tone, "You don't know me and I don't know you, okay?! We never saw each other and we never met each other!" Then she ran out of the aisle and out of the store all together.

In all the commotion I didn't even notice that she left the manga she was reading on the ground. I picked it up and saw what it was. "Hunter x Hunter," I smiled at the tile, "Who knew an Idol like Hiori-chan had such good taste."

* * *

><p><strong>Regular POV- <strong>

* * *

><p><em>Inside Mandarake- August 3, 2009, 10:00 A.M. (August 2, 2009, 8:00 P.M. EST). Three hours remaining in the Mission.<em>

Unbeknownst to Rinnosuke, someone was watching him from behind the aisle he was on. It was another girl who was as tall and pale as Rinnosuke; she had dark red eyes that seemed befitting of a monster and black hair which was styled into the puffball Lolita style; both puffballs were a dyed orange, and a pair of bangs, which drooped on both sides of her face, were dyed orange as well. She wore a black shade of lipstick on her lips and a healthy dose of mascara around her eyes; she also wore a jean vest and jean skirt, a purple shirt, knee-high black and orange striped socks, and a pair of black shoes. She had been there for Rinnosuke's entire conversation with Hiori. Right now, she was examining Rin, looking over every part of him. 'It can't be, there's no way,' she thought to herself and then Rinnosuke faced her direction and she got a clear depiction of his face. Her eyes widened and she began to shake, 'Rin-chan!' she exclaimed to herself. She watched Rinnosuke walk up to the counter and pick up his manga and then watched him walk back outside. She sat down on the floor and brought her knees close to her. 'He had a Player Pin! There's no doubt about it though, he's still alive,' she made a small smile when thought that last part. Then her lip quivered and she shed a single tear, 'What now?' she asked herself.

Then she felt a vibration come from her pone. She reached into her pocket and pulled out a phone that was orange and black. Then she opened it and read her recent text message.

_You saw the two little rabbits, right? What's the good word Hunter? –Ian _

'I have to do this, there's no turning back now,' she thought as she dried her tears and then replied.

_There's only one rabbit you dumbass foreigner. The other one was an Idol, there's no way she could be dead otherwise there would have been a huge panic._

She sent it and then the reply was.

_So what about the other one, he's still alive isn't he? Mandarake didn't have a Sign on it. What do we do now?_

She thought about it for a moment and then she replied.

_We stick to the plan; even though he's alive he's still a Player. Consider this a warm-up for Sakuraba. Now I'm going to come out there and I want you to pretend like you're attacking me, and then he'll step in and stop it. Trust me, I know his type. No Psyches though! Let's give him the element of surprise._

Then the girl closed her phone and stood up back on her feet. Then she smiled and thought to herself, 'Don't worry Rin-chan, when this is all over I'll bring you back to life with me using our Team's wish. I'm not going to let you break our promise.' She clutched her phone in her hand like she was trying to break it and then she said to herself, "We're going to be together forever, remember?"

* * *

><p><strong>Rinnosuke's POV- <strong>

* * *

><p><em>JR underpass, Akihabara-August 3, 2009, 10:35 A.M. (August 2, 2009, 8:35 P.M. EST).Two hours and twenty-five minutes remaining in the Mission.<em>

Shatter walked up to me and continued talking. "We can't be seen by mere Mortals because…we're really dead," she said.

My eyes widened in surprise. 'Dead, what does she mean they're dead. I can see them so they're alive aren't they?!' I asked myself.

"Right now we're in the middle of a game made by the Grim Reapers and Angels over whether or not we get to be brought back to life. The Team that's going to win the Game is us…Team Shitsuren." Shatter crouched down beside me and whispered in my ear, "To do that we have to thin out the number of Players competing, and all Players hold that Pin you showed me."

'Pin? That button? That's what's causing all of this?' I asked myself.

It's a shame too, I thought you were really cute," she said and then she chuckled. Shatter pulled out a large knife on me.

'This can't be it, can it?! I'm going to die just like this?! When I have no idea what the fuck is going on?! This is crap! This is crap! The world wants to throw me a shitty curve ball like this?! For what?! Because I found some stupid fuckin' button?!' I felt the knife being prodded into me but at that point I didn't care. I was too angry, not angry at this psychotic girl, not angry at that liar of a guitarist, not angry with these riddles about death and a Game and all that shit. I was angry at myself; I was angry at myself for going out of the way to help people. 'If I get death in return for that, then fuck it! In the afterlife I won't help anybody! I won't be the voice of reason, screw others! This is the birth of a new me! This is the birth of Rin (A/N: Rin is a Japanese name that often means cold and uncaring. He's making a bad pun of how he's going to act form now on. From now on his nickname projects what he is going to be like)!

I screamed, it was painful believe me. I was being dissected for fuck's sake. But I felt lighter, like when I held the button or Pin or whatever the fuck it was called. It was then that I realized why I felt so light, because the real me wanted to be set free. The real me was trapped inside a prison of friendliness and bullshit, and the key to my freedom was that Pin and death. I had finally realized my true dream; I really just wanted to be free.

* * *

><p>AN: I betcha you all thought that Rin was going to be a nice guy, huh? Wrong! This is showing the way of how he becomes his true character, a hardcore badass. Alright before I go, I would like to give a big thank you to **Natsuno Circus **who came up with Michel and Willow, who will become a big deal later on.


	10. Chapter 10

A/N: This story's getting really popular; I've already gotten a lot of fanmade OCs. I'm really grateful to you guys, thanks for liking TWIFWU. Also I've decide to up the OC due date to chapter twenty because I've gotten a lot of last minute OCs from people. Alright here's chapter ten. (Hooray! I've hit double-digits!)

Disclaimer: I do not own the World Ends with You, but that doesn't mean that I can't own a sequel, which is why I made this. Enjoy!

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><p><strong>WARNING: This chapter of TWIFWU contains a lot of swearing and some thoughts that are kind of dark and depressing. Read at your own risk.<strong>

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Ten: Week 1, Day 2-The World is a Heartless Place<strong>

* * *

><p><strong>Rinnosuke's POV-<strong>

* * *

><p><em>JR underpass, Akihabara-August 3, 2009, 10:40 A.M. (August 2, 2009, 8:40 P.M. EST).Two hours and twenty minutes remaining in the Mission.<em>

I felt so much pain in my body that I couldn't move, I couldn't even speak. I felt my blood flowing out of my body little by little; I could feel myself growing colder with each passing second. This was it…I was really going to die from exsanguination. Not that I cared. My life was already over before I got stabbed…I realize that now. I was born into this cold, unforgiving world almost seventeen years ago. Wait, actually it was exactly seventeen years ago today. August 3rd…I had completely forgotten today was my birthday. That has to be a record or something for the title of "Worst Birthday Ever". I was pathetic, making dumb jokes when I was about to die. I guess this world just taught me to have a positive attitude about everything; truth be told, I'm glad my life is going to end at seventeen. There's nothing out there in the world but more pain and suffering for me; I actually heard on a blog that this year alone there were 23, 472 suicides among Japanese men. I'm glad that I didn't live that long; it's better that I learn the truth about the world at a young age. The world is a heartless place.

I did my best to strain my eyes and take one final look at my attacker. I stared up at her face; black lipstick and mascara mixed with blood splatter. The red matched her eyes. Even if she was a murdering psychopath, even if she did dress like it was Halloween or some weird Goth holiday, I couldn't help but think that she was beautiful. 'Why is it that I think that?' I wondered. She didn't make my heart pound or make blush like Saatchi-san did to me. With Kimiko or Shatter, or whatever the hell her real name was, it was different; when I talked to her it felt like I was talking to an old friend. 'Do I know her?' I thought to myself. My vision began to blur and soon the only thing I had to sense that I was still part of this cruel world was my hearing. I could barely make out what they said though.

"What do we do now, love?" someone asked; it must have been that douche-bag of a guitarist, Ian.

"You said that he had the manga we need didn't you, Ian-san?" another person asked in a squeaky voice; it must have been that little Lolita girl, Joy.

"I believe I was talking to the lunatic, not you runt," Ian replied.

"Hey!" I heard Shatter yell at Ian. "Don't you bad mouth Joy or I'll cut you up next! You hear me, you blonde asshole?!" After a moment she continued speaking; "Grab his backpack, that's where he said he stashed it. The next thing we should do is find a place to hide out so we can keep the manga safe, that and it's starting to rain."

I heard Ian chuckle and then ask, "You afraid of a little storm, love?"

"I just don't like the rain okay, you asshole!" Shatter shouted. "Now grab it and get moving with Joy, me and Pyros will dispose of the body. It's gonna be a pain, considering he was alive to begin with; he won't just disappear like the others."

I heard movement and then the disappearance of several footsteps. Then I felt someone try to pick me up, and then I heard a grunt. Then Shatter shouted, "Help me out, you damn flamehead!" probably at that Pyros guy.

I felt more strength added under me and then I was up off the ground, I was moved a couple of steps and then I was set down again. Shatter asked, "You're the silent type so I can trust you to keep a secret, right?" and she must have received a nod in reply from Pyros because then she added, "We're just going to leave his body here, I can't stand the thought of hurting my beloved Rin-chan anymore."

'Rin-chan?' I thought, 'So I did know her, at some point at least.'

I felt weight coming on top of me and then I heard Shatter whisper in my ear, "Fear not my beloved sleeping prince, your princess will soon wake you from your peaceful slumber." Then I felt something hot press against my lips. Then she whispered again, "That's just for right now, I'll give you something better when you wake up," and then she giggled slightly. I felt her weight shift off me again and then she said to Pyros, "If you tell the other two what you just saw I'll kill you next, got it?" she asked. I guess she got another nodding reply because then said, "Good." Then I heard her walk away slowly, and after a minute or two, I heard another voice.

"I know you can still hear." I didn't recognize it, could this voice belong to Pyros? "I just want you to know that I am truly sorry for what happened to you, I know nothing I do will ever make it up to you but I just want you to know at least that much. I've had this same talk to all the other people that we slaughtered, but this one's a little different; I guess it's because your body hasn't evaporated. I apologize for the heinous crime done to you, on behalf of all four of us. And here's the next part of the talk, it's a favor to me actually. You probably don't feel like doing it after what we put you through, but… could you just hear me out?" Pyros sighed and then he said, "I did a horrible thing in my past, and because of it an innocent girl was killed. I've lived with that grief for some time now and I don't think it will ever go away. I want the chance to apologize to her, this isn't about redemption at all, and I'll get down on my knees and beg for her forgiveness if I have to. All I want is the chance to make it up to her, but the problem is that I can't find her. I'm not sure if she was entered into the Game or what, but if she is in the Game then I'll find her and tell her what I want myself; but if by some miracle, she isn't involved in this travesty, then could you tell her to wait for me in the afterlife, and then I'll tell her what I want there."

Pyros continued, "I remember her face so clearly, she is a brunette who always has her hair in braids; she also has white ribbons at the bottom of the braids. She's kind of short for her age, and she has light freckles on her cheeks and lime green eyes. If you see a girl like that where you're headed then please tell her that Hideaki Ryuzora is coming to meet her. I'll be forever in your de…" but that's all I heard.

I grew senseless, I was finally dead. I was finally free. Fuck that psycho Shatter, fuck that douche-bag Ian, fuck that prissy little girl Joy, and fuck that asshole Hideaki who had the nerve to ask a request for me. Fuck this stupid Game that they were in, fuck that stupid Pin, and fuck you world!

* * *

><p><em>?, ?, ?<em>

I was in complete and utter darkness. I had discovered the big truth of the afterlife; there was no fuckin' afterlife. There was just darkness, that was all there was. When you die, boom light's out, that's all. I could see and hear again, and I wasn't bleeding anymore, but there was nothing. I didn't know anything about where I was at all, it was just blank. Imagine if you were buried alive, you're in a cramped box with hardly any oxygen at all, desperately trying to find a way out of the darkness that surrounds you. Except, in my situation there was an unlimited amount of oxygen and tons of free space; the only thing that remained was darkness. I couldn't even see my own hand in front of me.

I remained in the darkness for God knows how long. There was no way of keeping time at all; each second felt like an hour, each minute felt like a day, each hour felt like a week, each day felt like a month, each week felt like a year, each year felt like a decade. Nothing ever changed, it was as if I was stuck in a hole in the fabric of time and space. The only thing that I had to keep me company were my thoughts. I thought of Nanami, waiting for me to get home and then getting the information that I'm never coming home, I thought of my mom and dad who were at their work overseas receiving the information about my death, I thought about the fact that I never told Saatchi-san how I felt, I thought about all the games that I would never get to play, I thought about all the manga I would never get to read, I thought about that Pin, I thought about those two weird guys on the train, I thought about meeting Hiori-chan, I thought about Team Shitsuren, and I thought about Shatter and Hideaki's last words to me. Then one big thought came into my head that shook away all the others. 'Did my life really mean anything at all?' I pondered.

If I died would anybody really care, they would morn sure, but wouldn't the world just keep on turning after I left. 'Now that I think about it, my existence didn't mean anything. Rinnosuke Maeda meant nothing to the world. But since I died, I'm no longer Rinnosuke Maeda. Then who am I?' My thoughts conflicted with each other until finally I came to one simple conclusion. I'm nothing. I'm not anybody. My existence is unimportant, it's insignificant. The world is better off without me and I'm better off without it. 'I am no one,' I thought.

That one thought repeated itself in my head until soon it was the only thing I could think about. If the cost of living was a simple mirror image of yourself and a name that you were given at birth, then what's the difference between being "Rinnosuke" and being someone else; there is no difference. If I looked different and had a different name it would not change the person who I am. What could make me change then? "Being no one," I repeated to myself the answer to my formulated riddle for what seemed like an eternity.

Then something changed in my surrounding darkness, a light entered it. Not a metaphorical "ray of light", an actual ball of light suddenly appeared in front of me.

"_If you are no one, then would you like to stay here forever?_" a voice whispered in my ear this question.

"Who are you?" I asked.

"_That depends on what you want me to be. I can be your friend, I can be your conscience, heck I can even be the voice that drives you to insanity if that's what you wish me to be._"

"What do you want from me?"

"_I came here to ask if you would like to join the Game for real. One of my brothers accidently dropped the Pin that you found, but since you were the first person to pick it up its fate became bound to yours. However you were never registered as a Player to begin with, therefore you are an Illegal Player._"

"Illegal? So did I break some rule by accidently getting involved in this stupid Game?"

"_Not at all. As a matter of fact since the error was made on my brother's part it is our fault that a Mortal like you died. Therefore, we would like to offer you a Penalty shot at the grand prize that the other Players are competing for._"

"A chance at life again? You've heard my brooding haven't you, I've decided that the world is a piece of shit that I don't want to go back to."

"_You don't want to go back for anything? Your family? Your little sister?"_

"Sister? Did I even have one?"

"_Oh my, you're worse off than I thought. I told Raphael that taking your Soul as an Entry Fee would be dangerous, but he still didn't listen to me."_

"My Soul? What are you talking about?"

"_Every Player has an Entry Fee taken away from them before they start the Game. If you win then you get it back, but each Entry Fee taken is rather unique. It's something that the Player values above all else. Before you found that Pin, do you remember the kind of person you were?"_

"I was a fool, who believed the world could be saved by helping one person at a time."

"_No! You were a kind and honest boy who tried to see the good in everyone. The moment you stumbled across the Pin and it became tied to your fate, an Entry Fee was taken from you. Since you were Mortal, my brother Raphael decided to take away the most precious thing a person has as your Entry Fee. Your Soul."_

"Wouldn't I technically be a monster without a Soul?"

"_I managed to convince him only to take half of it, but it seemed that even taking just half can cause drastic results._ _You want it back don't you?_"

"No thanks, I like it this way. I can see all the errors I've ever made so clearly now."

"_Please, what will it take me to convince you to come back?! I don't want to leave you here!_"

"If the prize for winning the Game is a return pass to the land of the living, then I'll pass."

"_But what about a wish?_"

"A wish?"

"_The winning Team gets returned to life and one wish to make your dreams come true._"

I paused for a moment and then I replied, "Interesting. If I had a wish then maybe I could make even a shitty place like the world I came from pure. I can sanitize humanity. I could make a happy place for everyone to live in."

"_But if you win the Game than your Entry Fee will also be returned, so you'll get the other half of your Soul back._"

"That doesn't matter to me, but you'll be happy to know that I've made my decision. I'll play the Game."

The voice chuckled, "_Excellent._"

Then the world around me flashed in a ray of white light, and I was released from the darkness.

* * *

><p><em>JR underpass, Akihabara-August 3, 2009, 11:00 A.M. (August 2, 2009, 9:00 P.M. EST).Two hours remaining in the Mission.<em>

Another flash occurred and then I opened my eyes. I was back at the train Underpass, I looked around me and I saw that it was raining. Then I looked down and I saw that I wasn't wearing the clothes I had on before anymore; I was now wearing a pair of black pants with chain straps on them, a pair of white shoes, a black leather jacket, and a white under shirt. "What the hell?" I said to myself. Then I felt a vibration coming from inside my pants' pocket, and then I reached inside and pulled out an all-black phone. I had gotten a text message.

_Here's a little known secret about the Underground, a Player's appearance is based on the way they envision themselves in their Soul. That's why most Players who show up in the Game look exactly the same when they die, but you are a special case when it comes to the Soul Department, remember? Hope you like the new clothes-Your Friend _

_P.S.-All the information you need on the rules and secrets about the Game have been inserted into your mind, consider it a bonus for your Penalty Play. Good luck!_

I smirked at the message and then I looked down at a puddle on the ground. "How I envision myself, eh?" I said to myself as I examined my reflection in the puddle. Everything was the same except for my new clothes. "But you forgot one thing, my friend," I said as grabbed my glasses off my face and threw them onto the ground. Then I stepped on them and ground them up with my shoe. "Those represent the old Rinnosuke Maeda, and from now on that's no longer who I am." I scanned my thoughts and looked into this information about the Game that my supposed "friend" gave me. One bit of information came across my mind, a supposed Team that might cause trouble in the future. "Neku Sakuraba, Kazuma Eturome, and Madoka Amari. It looks like they're already working together as a Team, though they haven't added in Eturome into their Pacts, nor have they even made a name for their Team." I thought to myself, 'Not the brightest Team to be part of, but still a powerful one even if they aren't aware of it yet. I can use them, just until I get my wish and the world is recreated.'

"Let's see," I pulled up more information on the three Players, "Madoka Amari, died August 1st, 2009 after fighting a long term battle with an incurable disease since she was only one. Kazuma Eturome, died July 31st, 2009 after jumping off a building set to be imploded with a faulty parachute which had one of the security straps cut. Neku Sakuraba died August 1st, 2008 after being killed by the former Composer of Shibuya, Joshua; he managed to reclaim his life and is now alive. Entry Fees for the three include, Madoka's memories, and Kazuma's…" I smirked when saw the information. "This is going to be very interesting," I said to myself, and then I looked over Neku's Entry Fee, "Very interesting indeed."

Then I walked away from the underpass. All that remained of my former identity was a pair of fake glasses and a dead body. I had one goal in mind, save the world…by any means necessary.

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><p>AN: Never underestimate the power of the Soul; it's what makes us who we are. If you lose even a single bit of it, you can become extremely twisted. Next chapter is the conclusion of Day 2, see you then.


	11. Chapter 11

A/N: Welcome to the exciting climax of Day 2. Just kidding, it's Part 1 of 3. Sorry for the practical joke but I thought that now would be a good time to slow down and have some heartfelt chapters. So in this first part Neku and the others meet Rin, and there's a little more stuff about Eri. And in the next chapter…you'll just have to find out later.

But before you get to reading, let me go ahead and tell you about some things to come in the near future. First of all, there will be a fight between Neku's Team and Team Shitsuren over the manga in the upcoming chapters; but it won't be that big of a fight, it's going to be four against four so they will each go off against one another. Here's two fights you might be looking forward too, Madoka vs. Joy and Neku vs. Shatter. Second, yes Rin is technically evil but only you the readers, me the writer, and his "friend" are aware of that; all the other characters are tricked by his act of kindness and he will only show his true self when he is incredibly pissed off. Third, there are going to be no mentions of new OCs for the rest of Day 2 besides some random background characters, but there will be a few more mentioned when Day 3 starts.

Lastly, to those of you making OCs for this story I have received a lot of Players and I could still use a few more, but if it's too much to ask, could you maybe send me some Players that are crazy. Not necessarily evil, just kind of messed up in the head like Rin and Shatter; but if you choose to do that don't say that they lost their Soul as their Entry Fee, there are only supposed to be two characters that Raphael has done that too; Rin is the second person and there was one other person that it happened too. **Hint:** The other Player who lost their Soul is not Shatter. Oh and one more thing, if you make a Player let me know if you want him/her to be a Team Captain or not, and if you do want that let me also know what you want your Team to be called and I'll translate it into Japanese like Team Shitsuren (Team Broken Heart), and what you want the other four Players on your OC's Team to be like. But I'm planning to only have twelve Teams in this story, so first come first serve. **Warning:** Three Teams have already been made. Nine spots are left.

**Side Note:** I could also still use more Reapers and Angels if anybody feels like creating some bad, good, or neutral characters.

Disclaimer: I do not own the World Ends with You, but I do own this story and all characters mentioned in this chapter except for Neku and Eri.

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><p><strong>Chapter Eleven: Week 1, Day 2-The Day Tokyo Cried, Part 1: Someone you Care About<strong>

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><p><strong>Neku's POV-<strong>

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><p><em>Manga Street Café, Akihabara-August 3, 2009, 11:55 P.M. (August 2, 2009, 9:55 P.M. EST).One hour and five minutes remaining in the Mission.<em>

Our search for "Daisuke, watashitachi no ma de kami" turned out to be very unsuccessful. We decided to heed the warning in the Mission message about the manga being popular, so me, Madoka, and Kazuma split up to search the city. Madoka came with me obviously; I liked the squirt and all don't get me wrong, but she was starting to be very clingy to me. She reminds me so much of Shiki when she started "stalking" me back when we played the Game together. I hope I really do win this Game, I know that Shiki would love to meet Madoka; the two of them would hit it off in an instant, I was absolutely sure of that.

Anyway, Kazuma was most affiliated with Akihabara because he had apparently been there many times before, when he was recording stunts for his website. Seriously, was he even popular at all? I've never heard the name "Zero Akuma" mentioned anywhere before; maybe he only existed in this universe and not in mine. Ugh, the laws of space and time freak me out. So with the knowledge of the city in his hands, Kazuma went to check out the manga stores on the outskirts of the city with his speed Psyches, while me and Madoka checked out all the stores on Manga Street. It took us about three hours to explore them all, and in all that time we never even managed to find a single copy of the manga. Tired and worn out from the search, Madoka and I decided to wait for Kazuma at a nearby café. I bought myself an iced coffee and I bought Madoka some milk; I was kind of stating to see the whole cat comparison Kazuma was talking about. Then the two of us sat at one of the café booths and drank our beverages while we waited for the hyperactive goofball to return.

I took a sip of my iced coffee and enjoyed the cool, refreshing, and bitter taste. Then I looked out the window and observed the rain. The pitter-patter of each water droplet on the glass of the window reminded me of an old memory. It was last April, and much to my dismay Shiki was in my apartment.

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><p><strong>Flashback:<strong>

_Inside Neku's Apartment. Sakuragaoka-cho, Shibuya-April 18, 2009, 2:00 P.M. (April 17, 2009, 12:00 A.M. EST). _

Shiki had come over to my place so we could hang out together. That day she wore a frilly yellow top and a white skirt, with knee-high socks and black shoes; I on the other hand was wearing a simple black t-shirt, blue jeans, and my old shoes. We were actually planning on going on a date to Disneyland, but we weren't able to go because it started pouring down as soon as she came over. Unfortunately, Shiki didn't have an umbrella with her and I didn't have one either so she was forced to wait out the rain in my apartment. Any other day that would have been fine with me, but that Saturday was one of the unlucky days when I hadn't…done my laundry. I'm guessing Shiki had another Psych that she didn't tell me about because she was able to find my clothes in no time at all, even though I had hidden them in a place that nobody would ever even guess as a location for clothes to be concealed. 'I mean seriously, who checks for clothes underneath the bed?' I remember thinking that to myself. Now it occurs to me that it was probably the single dumbest hiding spot that anyone could come up with.

After she had found my clothes, Shiki was determined to clean them for me. No matter how many times I insisted that I could do it later, she wouldn't listen and went about in doing my laundry. Afterwards, she insisted on organizing my closet for me because she didn't like my style of leaving everything in a pile in my closet. No matter how many times that I asked if I could help her, she insisted on doing it herself.

I sat down on my bed while Shiki was head deep in my closet. I wore an expression that was both pathetic and pitiful at that point. "Ugh, Shiki seriously, you don't have to do this!" I finally grunted.

Shiki looked back at me and glared; then she said, "You should have known this was coming. I mean "seriously", did you think you could hide your junky closet from me forever?" After she said that she got straight back to work.

I groaned and said, "This is humiliating, seriously what is it with you and the way I dress?"

Shiki didn't look away from my closet but she did reply, "If you're going to be dating a future fashion designer then you have to at least grasp the simplest concept of style. By the way, have you started following "F' Da World!" like I told you too?"

"No, I told you before I don't care what Eiji Oji has to say about fashion, I wear what I like to wear."

Shiki huffed and replied, "Well if you did follow his blog you would know that stripes," she held up one of my striped shirts, "Are definitely out of season."

I cupped my face in my hands and groaned even louder. "Shiki, right now I feel like you're my mom, please just stop this is too embarrassing."

Shiki looked back at me and said, "Don't think of this as motherly love, just think of this as practice for our married life," and then she winked at me.

My face started to become flushed and I covered up my embarrassment and shame with my pillow. "Embarrassing!" I shouted into the pillow, causing it to sound muffled.

Then I heard a knock on my door and then Shiki said, "Oh that must be Eri." Then Shiki got up off the floor and ran to answer the door.

I sat up in my bed and exclaimed, "Wait a minute! Eri?!"

Shiki opened the door and let her red-headed friend Eri into my apartment. The first thing she did when she came in was throw down her umbrella and say, "I am not going back out there until it's even stopped drizzling. It's raining cats and dogs out there!" Eri exclaimed. She pulled off the pink rain slicker that she had worn to get here, and revealed her outfit; Eri wore a light green satin top that slightly showed her navel, a pair of light blue denim jeans, a pair of light green shoes that matched her top, and she also wore her usual bracelets and puzzle piece necklace. When Eri was out of her wet rain slicker she turned her attention to Shiki and exclaimed, "Hugs!" with her arms outstretched; and then the two hugged each other like they were two friends who hadn't seen one another for a long time, even though they just saw each other yesterday at school.

I waited a few moments and then I exclaimed, "What the heck are you doing here, Eri?! Shiki what's this all about?!"

They completely ignored my questions and then Shiki said to Eri, "Come on, I've already started sorting through them but we've still got a lot of work to do if we're going to make Neku's closet look even half decent." Eri nodded and then the two girls walked back to the closet and Shiki began to show Eri what she had already sorted so far.

"Why is Eri here, Shiki?!" I asked again.

Shiki didn't respond but Eri turned me and then she replied, "Shiki called me over here to come help her, she said it was a Fashion Emergency so I ran over as fast as humanly possible. And judging by your clothes, I think she was just being polite to cover your shame."

"What shame?! What does it matter what I wear?!" I replied.

Eri ignored my question and said, "Don't worry; along with our expertise in fashion designing, we also organize closets." Then she giggled and continued, "And you're actually our first real client, I guess all other people in Shibuya care about what they wear and how their closet looks. However, a job like this doesn't come cheap you know, for our expert services your bill will come to five-thousand yen," she said with a smile.

My eyes widened and I repeated what she said, "Five-thousand yen?! But I didn't even want my closet organized!"

Eri giggled again and then she said, "No worries, since you're my BFF's BF I'll give you a special discount." She raised up two of her fingers and said, "You only have to pay two-thousand yen," and then she winked at me.

At that point I was both aggravated and angry, but there was nothing I could do about it. After a few hours they finished "organizing" and I paid Eri the money that I "owed".

**Flashback End**

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><p>"Neku?! Neku! Neku!" my thoughts were interrupted when I heard someone calling my name. I looked away from the window and I saw an all too familiar face. Eri. She waved her hand and smiled at me, and then she ran over to me and Madoka's booth. "Hey, I haven't seen you since yesterday," she said softly, "You didn't even call me after you left Yoshi and I back at Hachiko," she said the last part with a small frown on her face.<p>

I sighed to myself, 'That's right, for me it's only felt like a few hours but for those two it was a whole day,' I thought. I felt kind of guilty about what I had done to the two of them, but I didn't have time to think about that and go back and apologize to them, what with the Game and all. I looked down at the table, being unable to look Eri in the eye, and said, "I'm sorry; I just wasn't really feeling good yesterday." I decided to lie again, "After I left you and Josh, I just decided to go home and crash. And when I woke up today, I felt much better; but I just didn't have the heart to call you after the way I acted." It seemed like all I had done since I came here was lie.

To my surprise, Eri's expression automatically changed from a frown to a wide smile. "Apology accepted," then she pulled me into a hug/headlock, "After all, I could never stay mad at you Nekki." Then she kissed me…again. For the second time in two days my girlfriend's best friend kissed me. My eyes stayed wide open the entire time but I didn't push Eri away, even if she wasn't technically "my" Eri, I still didn't want to make her sad. After a moment or two she released me from her grasp and then she giggled; "Now that's how you apologize to a girl," she simply said.

For the first time in a while I heard Madoka's voice, "Neku-san?" I heard her whisper. I shifted my gaze and I saw that her face had almost gone completely pale. "Wh-wh-who…is th-thi-this…gi-gir-girl?" she asked; her stuttering seemed even worse than before.

I wondered what was wrong with her. 'Madoka?' I thought to myself.

Eri noticed my gaze had shifted to the opposite side of my booth, and so she strained her head and followed my eyes. Then I heard her grunt and say, "Neku whose milk carton is that?"

I was confused and I looked up at Eri and replied, "Huh?"

She turned my head for me and then pointed at the opposite side of the booth. "That milk carton?! Who does it belong to?!" she enunciated. When I didn't respond within a second, Eri pulled my head back to her and asked, almost shouted in my face, "Are you on a date with someone else?! Is she in the bathroom right now?! Is she prettier than me?! Answer my questions or I'll slug you!"

'Oh crap!' I thought, 'That's right, Eri can't see Madoka. Crap this is bad, Eri gave me an earful and a smack that time when she thought I was cheating on Shiki. If this Eri is anything like her, than crap…crap…crap!'

"Neku!" she growled, making my face go completely white. "Is there another girl in your life?! Yes or no?!" I noticed we were getting odd glances from everyone else who was in the café.

One of the cashiers behind the counter tried to but in by saying, "Um, excuse me but could you maybe take your conversation outs…"

Eri turned around and shouted, "Stay out of this!" making the cashier shut up automatically.

'What do I do?! What do I do?! I can't just say that I'm having a drink with my friend Madoka, Eri will be completely jumpy over that. And I can't say that Madoka is a ghost, Eri will never leave me alone if I tell her that.' I sighed inwardly; I had no choice but to lie my ass off again. 'But, she's also never going to believe a word I say without…reinforcement.' I took a deep breath of air and I lurched forward and smashed my lips in Eri's. 'Oh Shiki, wherever you are please forgive me for this.' After a few moments I parted our lips and then I said to Eri, "You're the only girl in my life."

Eri blushed and then she smiled at me. "Neku," she cooed and then she hugged me.

I heard a slight sniffle and I looked back to the opposite side of the booth. There were a few tears streaming down Madoka's cheeks, 'Madoka?' After she saw me looking at her, Madoka hopped out of the booth and then she ran out of the café. My eyes went wide with fright; "Madoka!" I shouted and freed myself from Eri's grasp. I was about to run after her but Eri grabbed my hand before I could leave.

"Madoka?! Who's Madoka?! I knew it, you are cheating on me! How could you lie right to my face like that and then kiss me?!" Eri shouted at me.

"Eri, look it's not what you think!" I replied, "Now please let me go!"

Eri shook her head and shouted back at me, "I'm not letting you go until I get a clear answer from you! Is this the reason why you were acting so weird yesterday?! You kept asking about Shiki for some reason, were you sneaking around my back with her too before she died?!"

That last question got to me, I broke my hand out of Eri's grip and I turned around and barked at her. "Shut up! You don't know anything about me or Shiki, even though you claim that she was your best friend! Did you even know that before she died she was jealous as hell of you; you made her envy you because of the way you are and that's why she didn't realize what you meant when you criticized her designs! She got into a huff after that and wasn't watching where she was going because she was depressed, which caused her to end up in that traffic accident; if anything you're the one that killed her! Now for the love of all that's good, leave me the hell alone!"

Eri's eyes went wide and then she sunk to the floor. I saw her eyes start to water and I knew that I had gone too far with what I said. I immediately regretted it, but the bad thing is…I meant every word. I ran out of the café and into the soaking rain to try and catch up with Madoka, leaving Eri alone in the café. At that point I don't know who I hated more, the Angels for screwing with me, or me for screwing with my friends.

"Neku!" I heard someone call my name from a distance. I turned around and I saw someone running through the rain towards me. It was Kazuma. The frosted hair adrenaline junkie came into a screeching finish when he neared me, and he seemed to stop on a dime right in front of me. You had to admire the guy's speed. "I checked all of the outskirt manga stores, no "Daisuke, watashitachi no ma de kami". Any luck on your end?"

I shook my head and said, "No manga either, but we've got bigger problems now! Madoka ran off!" I exclaimed.

Kazuma's eyes went wide and he exclaimed, "Meow-Meow's missing!? What happened?!"

I shook my head, "Something went down in a café that we were in! Look, we can talk about this later; we have to find her right now! She might get caught by another Reaper!"

Kazuma nodded, "Okay," then he bent down on his knees and said, "Hop on."

I stared at him strangely.

Kazuma sighed, "Look, I'm older, stronger, and faster than you. We can cover a lot more ground if we're moving as one. Now hop on."

I nodded in agreement and hopped onto Kazuma's back. Then Kazuma lurched forward and he shot off into a run like a rocket. I actually had a little trouble hanging onto his back with his barreling speed. 'Madoka, please be safe!' I thought to myself as we raced down the street while raindrops poured down on our heads.

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><p><strong>Rin's POV-<strong>

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><p><em>Backstreets of Manga Street, Akihabara-August 3, 2009, 12:07 P.M. (August 2, 2009, 10:07 P.M. EST). Fifty-three minutes remaining in the Mission.<em>

'If today's Mission was to find a copy of "Daisuke, watashitachi no ma de kami" then they should be somewhere around here. This is the best place to find a manga you're looking for,' I thought to myself as I walked the backstreets of Akihabara. I had no need now for any of the things I found previously interesting, like manga; 'But I have to admit, having this personal knowledge of the city's layout came in handy quite a bit. I was already able to find out where Shitsuren was hiding; all that's left now is to find Sakuraba and company.' I continued walking down the backstreets until I found an entrance to an alleyway that led directly to Manga Street. I entered the alley and then I heard a muffled sniffling sound; the sound got my attention and I began to look around the alley for the source of the noise.

Finally, I stumbled across a little cardboard box that had one of the flaps opened up, which allowed me to see a pair of fluffy white cat ears that were moving slightly in the box. 'A kitten?' I asked myself. Then the "cat" suddenly stopped moving and the other flap of the box opened up revealing the cause of the sniffling noise. There wasn't a cat inside the box, but there was a little girl with a kitten shaped knit-hat in there. She had lavender eyes that seemed puffy and red, she must have been crying hard. She sniffled again, and then she rubbed her eyes and looked directly at me. She remained silent and did not speak; all she did was stare at me. Her eyes, they seemed almost hypnotic. 'This little girl, she reminds me of someone I know, or knew, who was it?' I asked myself.

After a moment of silence between the two of us, I asked her, "Are you in pain?"

The girl shook her head slightly.

"What's your name?" I asked gingerly. I crouched down to get at eye level with her and then I said, "My name's Rin."

After another moment of silence she replied, "Mad-Madoka."

I smiled, 'So this is Madoka Amari, truth be told, I was expecting her to be at least a teenager,' I thought to myself. Then I frowned, 'This world is so cruel as to allow a little girl to compete in a bloody game like this. Is there no sense of justice, no sense of purity, in this hell hole at all?'

"O-Oni-san? Ar-are you a Pl-Player?" Amari asked all of a sudden.

I smiled at her again and then I nodded and said, "You're one too, aren't you Madoka?"

Amari looked down at the ground for a second and then she looked back up at me. "Le-let's show ea-each oth-other our Pla-Player Pins," she suddenly said.

I frowned slightly and asked, "Why do I need to see your Pin, I don't think you're lying about being a Player." I already knew why she was being defensive; I had studied all the information on Sakuraba, Eturone, and her that I could find before I came there. Apparently, yesterday they ran into some hot-headed Reaper named Keisuke Sakagaki, who claimed to be a Player but in actuality was really a Reaper who was given the ability to hide his wings by another Reaper named Mars.

Amari shook her head and then she said, "Th-this is to kn-know if yo-you're really a Pl-Player like you s-say Rin-san, an-and not a liar like th-that mean Kei-Keisuke-san."

I inwardly chuckled, 'Just like her Record says she stutters like an annoying twit,' I thought to myself, 'Gaining her trust is going to be too easy.' I smiled and nodded at Amari, and then I said, "Okay," and reached into the right pocket of my leather jacket to pull out my Player Pin, "Here are you satisfied Inspector Madoka?" I asked with a chuckle as I showed her the button with the skull decal.

Madoka smiled and nodded also, "Okay then!" she exclaimed and then pulled out her Player Pin, "Here's mine!"

I pretended to study it and played along with her like any child would. "Everything seems to be in order, you young lady are a genuine Player as well," I said in a monotone voice. Then I reached out my hand to Amari, and after a moment of hesitation she accepted it gratefully and I pulled her out of the cardboard box. When she was back on her feet, I smiled at Amari and then said, "So little miss, what were you doing hiding in that box anyway?"

Amari frowned slightly and then she replied, "Actu-actually I don-don't know, Nek…my friend m-met a gir-girl at a ca-café we went to, she kn-knew him so-somehow and th-then she en-ended up…k-ki-ki-kis." Amari struggled with last part of what she was trying to say, and then finally she blurted out, "Kissing him!" Amari's face seemed to turn beet-red, the color of anger and embarrassment.

I smirked at Amari and thought to myself, 'So Sakuraba kissed another girl and that made Amari jealous,' I inwardly laughed. 'Looks like she has a little crush on him, maybe I can use this information to my advantage.' My smirk turned into a warm smile and then I asked, "Madoka, do you by any chance like this friend of yours? As more than a friend I mean?"

Amari's face deepened in shade to crimson red and then she stuttered even more and louder than before; "L-l-l-like Ne-Ne-Neku-san?!" then Amari shook her head and covered her face with her hands, "N-no, no, Ne-Neku-san is ju-just a friend!"

I chuckled at her and then said, "Sorry I just wanted to mess with you a little." Then I smiled at her and said, "But you know, if you have feelings for someone then you shouldn't let anything mess with those feelings. Don't give up, if your friend is that special to you then you should tell him how you really feel."

After a moment, Amari calmed down and then replied, "It's not that I like Neku-san that way, it's just a feeling I have. I feel like if I ever need him that he'll be there for me, he's very trustworthy and concerned about everyone around him. He's a person that I want to remain with forever."

I nodded in understanding and then asked, "So you love him like a brother?"

Amari smiled and nodded, "Yeah, he's like my Oni-chan." Then she suddenly asked, "You're smart Rin-san, do you have anyone that you care about?"

My eyes widened for a second and one thought pounded its way into my head. 'Do I care about anyone?' Then I shook my head of that thought and a new thought took its place. 'Of course I do, I care about everyone, that's why I want to make the world a better place; I want to turn the world into a place that makes everyone happy. Who cares about one single person? I'm going to save everyone.' I may have been taken back a bit by that question but I was not going to be deterred in my plan. I chuckled a little and then I said, "Of course I have people I care about, I want to finish the Game and get back to them as soon as possible. It might be a bit of a struggle for someone like me who's all alone, but I'm sure you'll have no trouble winning with this Neku guy on your side."

Amari responded to my statement in a cheerful way. "Yeah, Neku-san is really strong; he's even able to use more than one Pin! He won the Game that was held last year and he's going to win this one too!" she exclaimed as she jumped for joy in the air. "And we also have Kazuma-san on our Team; he saved me and Neku-san from the mean Keisuke-san. Kazuma-san can move really fast when he wants to, and plus he's really nice and funny! We're going to do really great together, I just know it!"

I chuckled again and then I replied, "They do sound really strong. They'll probably be some fearsome competitors in the Game." I already knew a little about the group's Psyches as well. Sakuraba is a Pin User, who was given a special Pin called "Phoenix Glow" from a rebellious Reaper named Jordan Ishida; apparently that Pin has the power to evolve up to three times, and with each time it gains more strength in the element of fire and an added benefit to the user. It was actually a Forbidden Pin that was never meant to be used by a Player. Eturome's Psyches were also very special; he was able to control the very rare Turbo Psyches, which allow him to move and attack at incredible speeds. Those Psyches were apparently very hard to control and required a great deal of endurance and stamina; perfect for a hyperactive guy like Eturome. Amari's Psyches included another rare breed also; the Combustion Psych, which allows the user to literally blow up anything that he or she motions too with the wave of a hand. This Psych was apparently ultra-rare, and only a few people in the Game's entire history have ever been able to possess it, most of them weren't even Players. 'This is truly one of the strongest groups in the Game, a perfect vessel for obtaining the power to remake the world. If I do a simple thing to gain their trust, like tell them where to find Shitsuren and the manga, then they'll surely let me join. And who knows, they might get rid of Shitsuren in the process. A win-win,' I thought to myself.

While I was busy plotting, Amari was telling her recount of yesterday's events. "…and then…and then I made the Frog go boom!" she enunciated with hand gestures. After that she had finally stopped talking

I chuckled again and replied to her, "You're quite the little ball of energy, you and your Team sound very strong."

Amari nodded and then asked, "Hey, what about your Team Rin-san?"

I frowned slightly and said, "Unfortunately I'm not on a Team, I don't even have a Partner yet."

Amari frowned slightly and then she immediately brightened up. "I know!" she exclaimed, "Why don't you join our team Rin-san? We still need two more people, and you seem really nice."

I nervously laughed and then I rubbed the back of my head and said, "Me? I'm not really sure you guys want someone like me on your Team. I'm kind of dead weight; I probably couldn't even hold a candle to you guys."

Then Amari grabbed my hand and shook her head. "Too late, I've decided that Rin-san is going to be our Teammate. You can't back out now," she said as she wagged her finger at me.

I smiled at her and replied, "Okay then, please treat me well," then I chuckled. Then I smirked inwardly, 'That was easier than I thought, I've gained the trust of Amari and now all that's left is Sakuraba and Eturome. Telling them about the manga and Shitsuren should seal the deal, but Sakuraba might still even give me a hard time after that, his Record said that he could be an extremely untrusting person.'

"Madoka!" I heard someone shout. Amari and I turned to the entrance to Manga Street and I saw a boy with spikey orange hair and another boy with black frosted hair. Sakuraba and Eturome.

Amari waved at them, "Neku-san, Kazuma-san! I found the next member of our Team!" Then the two boys rushed into the alley and Sakuraba ran up to Amari and knocked her lightly on the head with his fist. "Ow," she said.

Then Sakuraba brought Amari into a hug and shouted, "Don't you ever run off like that again, you hear me?! If something happened to you I don't know what I would do!"

Eturome ran up to us next and he said, "Hey Meow-Meow, I heard you had a big day." Then he grabbed Sakuraba and pried him off of Amari, "Okay, she's fine now. Give her some room." Then after a moment passed Eturome started up a conversation in saying, "So what should we do now?" He turned over his right palm and observed his Timer. "We've only got like forty-five minutes left," Eturome sighed, "I don't think we're going to beat this Mission. Oh well, as long as one other Team finishes it doesn't really matter."

"It does matter!" Sakuraba exclaimed. "We get an incentive if we have the manga when the Timer hits zero, trust me in this Game you want incentives!"

Eturome shrugged his shoulders and replied, "Well I don't know what to tell you man, we're not gonna make it. Every manga store was sold out."

Sakuraba grunted and cursed, "Dammit!" and then he kicked a nearby garbage can.

I knew that it was the perfect time to speak up. "Um, excuse me," I said in a slightly nervous-sounding voice which got all three Players' attention. "If this is about today's Mission, then I think I know where we can find a copy of the manga." To compliment my nervous character I touched my two pointer fingers together as if to say that I was kind of shy.

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><p>AN: That's Part 1, hope you guys like how schemey Rin has become.


	12. Chapter 12

A/N: Welcome to Part 2 of the Day 2 climax. This chapter is going to talk about what was going on with Team Shitsuren while Neku and the others met Rin. It will also reveal some of the personality traits and background history that each member possesses. Each member will be expressed fully, starting with Shatter and ending with Pyros. Their deaths will not be revealed yet though; I am still trying to keep some of the mystery. And even though this chapter is kind of basically the premise of filler, I encourage you to read it as some things that are mentioned in it might become important later on. Enjoy reading.

Disclaimer: I do not own the World Ends with You, but I do own every character in this chapter except for Joy who belongs to my good friend **Rhyme13kh14Xion8**, and Anna who belongs to my sister.

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><p><strong>Chapter Twelve: Week 1, Day 2-The Day Tokyo Cried, Part 2: Broken Hearts<strong>

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><p><strong>Shatter's POV-<strong>

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><p><em>Inside Warehouse Twenty-three. Shipping district, Akihabara -August 3, 2009, 12:15 P.M. (August 2, 2009, 10:15 P.M. EST). Forty-five minutes remaining in the Mission.<em>

The rain beat at the window panes harder and harder. For the past hour all I had been doing was staring out the window. I wasn't off in my own world. I wasn't keeping an eye out for any other Players who were sneaking about; I had killed more than enough for today. I was just staring out the window and watching the rain as it trickled down from the sky. I heard each sound the water droplets made as they hit a hard surface. The tin roof up above us made them give off a _clunk _sound, the window made them burst with a sort of _thump_, and outside there were little _thuds_ each time a water drop hit the concrete ground. I had always been fascinated with the rain; the sight was breath-taking, the sounds were like a beautiful symphony.

Why did I have a strange fascination with the rain? I guess the answer is that in the rain…no one can tell you're crying.

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><p><strong>Flashback:<strong>

_Ten years ago…_

When I was a little, I wasn't the kind of girl that you would think I would be. I was what some people might call the "perfect child"; I didn't think of myself in that way, that's just what I heard from all the adults around me. I learned at a young age that in order to get far in life you had to be willing to appear as if the world could not survive without you, funny don'tcha think? All the other girls my age would be playing with dolls, making up games, and enjoying life in general. Not me though. I came from a very prestigious background; my father was the president of one of the leading companies in Tokyo, so my life was different from others since birth. It was probably when I was around four that I became the "perfect daughter". My parents expected to me be well-behaved and intelligent for my whole childhood so that I could one day take over my father's company; "grooming me for success", that was the term they always used.

So I did what they asked of me; I was obedient, honest, and trustworthy towards my parents, I got good grades on all my school assignments and all of my home-school assignments, I learned and mastered playing the piano, I studied all the time with my tutors, and I never once complained about my workload. Although, sometimes I did wish that I could be like other kids my own age and run around and play with some friends, but I didn't have any and as far as the adults in my life were concerned that was fine. I don't exactly know when, but at some point I just had decided to grin and bear it and accept that my lot in life was to be the "perfect child".

I didn't think much of my situation at first, but I soon realized that I felt vaguely empty inside. It was as if my heart had turned stone cold without me even noticing, my free will had vanished right before my eyes and I didn't know how to respond to it. By the time I was seven I didn't even have a dream of my own, my personal life disappeared without a trace.

Then one day, things took a turn for the worse for me. I was in my second year of primary school at Nauru Junior High in Ueno. It was mid-September, and it was a brisk and rainy day just like this one. Earlier that day, I made an attempt at talking to some of the other girls in my class, but before I could even speak to them they shut me out. I remember their remarks' sting. "_What do you want Miss Princess?_" "_You never talk to anyone anyway." "What, do you think you're better than the rest of us?_" "_Even though you're family is rich, you're just cold and pathetic…and you're really ugly too._" In my class I had another name that I didn't even know about, the other girls around me called me the "Glass Shattering Princess". I heard from whispers that it was a play on words to Cinderella; while she was a kind and beautiful princess who was beloved by many, I was apparently a cold and ugly "princess" who was despised by many. I hadn't even noticed that I wasn't well liked in school; I guess I was just too preoccupied at trying to be the child my mother and father wanted.

That morning I had asked my parents if I could ride the bus home with the other kids, and after a little coaxing they agreed that it was fine. However, after what happened at school I didn't feel like riding the bus so I just stayed under the veranda that overlooked the bus bench. Then to make matters worse, it started to rain. I was raised on Christian beliefs, and my mother had told me that when it rains it is a sign that God is crying, but it was always unknown as to whether or not the tears were of joy or sorrow.

I remember how I looked back then; I had pale skin, short black hair that had tips that reached my earlobes, and the red irises in my eyes were seen as scary to other people. For school I usually wore a black blouse, a white undershirt, a dark blue skirt, a pair of black shoes, a red backpack, and a red ribbon around my shirt collar. Could my appearance have been seen as ugly? I wasn't really sure, but that's what the other girls had said about me.

I sat on the bus bench while it rained and thought about all the mean things that the other kids had said to me. For some reason that I didn't really understand at first, they made me feel bad. That's when I started crying, I rarely ever cried, but tears just continued to stream down my face. I started sobbing, but no one heard me thanks to the rain, no one could even see my tears because of the rain. A few minutes passed and I still continued to cry, and then suddenly I heard the sound of footsteps approaching me. I looked to my right and saw that a boy was running through the rain, using a book over his head as protection from the water. He had skin that was almost as pale as mine, a pair of strange eyes that were blue and had brown rings around each iris, and messy brown hair that seemed extremely wild with knots and curls. He wore a simple tan t-shirt, blue jeans, a blue backpack, a pair of black and white shoes, and a silver bracelet which was worn on his wrist. The boy huffed and puffed as I watched him run to the veranda through my tear-stained eyes. When he finally arrived at the veranda, he sat down next to me on the bus bench and panted for a few more moments. Then he looked down at the book he was carrying and said to himself, "Good thing my manga didn't get too wet. Water proof seal, I love you." He didn't notice I was there at first, but when he did, he looked at me directly and smiled. "Hi, you miss the bus too?" he asked.

I didn't know what to make of the strange boy at first so I just silently nodded in reply.

Then the boy chuckled and said, "Don't worry, the teacher helped me call my dad and he said that he's coming to pick me up, I bet'cha that he can take you home too. Where do you live?" he asked.

I continued to remain silent.

Then the boy's eyes widened and he stared straight at my face, "You were crying," he said. The boy slid his backpack off his back and then he looked inside one of the pockets, "Hang on." After a moment passed, he pulled out a few tissues and then gave them to me, "Here, go ahead and dry your tears."

I hesitated before taking them, and then I sniffled a little as I dried my face with the tissues. When I was done drying my face, I gave the boy back his tissues and then he put them back inside his backpack. Then I slightly mumbled, "Thank you."

He chuckled again, but this time in a nervous way, and then he rubbed the back of his head. "Sorry, I guess I was being a little too straight forward before, huh? Let's start over," he said as he put up his hand in front of me. "Hi, my name is Rinnosuke Maeda, but you can just call me Rin if you want," he said while warmly smiling at me.

I smiled back at him slightly and then reached out my hand out to shake with hands with him. "I'm…Akemi Ichikawa," I said softly.

Rinnosuke smiled at me and then said, "Akemi…"Ake" meaning bright and "Mi" meaning beautiful. Nice to meet you Akemi and may I say that your name suits you perfectly."

My eyes widened and my face started to feel hot, then I looked away from Rinnosuke and mumbled, "Don't make fun of me."

Rinnosuke chuckled again and then he said, "Sorry, but it's true you know, you're pretty."

My face began to feel even hotter and I didn't know why, I felt like something was burning inside of me each time Rinnosuke said something to me. 'Why do I feel so weird?' I asked myself.

"Are you okay?" Rinnosuke asked me.

I looked up at him and then I suddenly snapped, "Don't make fun of me!" I shouted, "Saying things like I'm pretty, I know I'm not pretty so do me a favor and don't lie to my face!"

Rinnosuke frowned at me and then he said, "Is this about what the other girls said to you in class today?"

My eyes widened and I mumbled, "You…you know about that?"

Rinnosuke shrugged his shoulders, "You're a real shy girl, so it's no wonder you don't recognize me." Rinnosuke pointed to himself and said, "I'm the other social outcast in our class, the manga nerd."

I thought to myself for a moment. 'Wait a minute…there's a boy that always sits in the back next to the window and reads. That's him?' then my thoughts were interrupted when I felt something grab my hand.

I looked down and saw that Rinnosuke had grabbed onto my hand, the feeling made me blush. "You know why the other girls say that kind of stuff right? It's because you're different," Rinnosuke said. He smiled, "But being different is great, my dad used to say that the reason he liked my mom so much was because she was unlike any girl he had ever met." He motioned to his bracelet and said, "She died when I was really young, now this is all I have left to remember her by." Then he smiled at me again, "But you know, I think I know what my dad meant when he talked about mom like that, strange girls are the best."

I blushed again. Something about his carefree attitude drew me in; he was so kind and welcoming. He was the first person that I had met who hadn't judged me before he had gotten to know me.

Later on after the rain stopped, I was given a ride home by Rin-chan's dad, and after our brief conversation the two of us became great friends. That was the day I met the boy whom I would grow to call the one I love. I didn't feel like the "Glass Shattering Princess" anymore after that, I felt just like Cinderella when she met her Prince Charming. But what I didn't count on was the obstacles that came between us, the obstacles that turned me into the girl I am today.

**Flashback End**

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><p>'Rin-chan,' I thought to myself. 'I'm never going to let you go ever again, I don't care what happens to my life or anyone else's, as long as I can walk by your side forever I will be happy. You don't know how happy you made me feel when you said I was pretty that day Rin-chan. When you entered my life you made me into a person who truly knows what she wants.' I sighed and then thought to myself, 'Every time it rains I think of our first meeting, that's how much I love you.'<p>

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><p><strong>Ian's POV-<strong>

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><p><em>Inside Warehouse Twenty-three. Shipping district, Akihabara -August 3, 2009, 12:20 P.M. (August 2, 2009, 10:20 P.M. EST). Forty minutes remaining in the Mission.<em>

I sat down on a wooden crate and silently strummed the strings on my guitar, letting each chord release its beautiful hum. I always fiddled with my guitar whenever I felt uneasy. Heck, when I first entered the Reaper's Game, I probably strummed the strings at least a million times. No, I felt uneasy even before I died. I think it was back when I came to Japan a few months ago that my real unease sank into my core. I'm not the guy that I pretend to be. I'm not some hard-core rock n' roller from the UK, no matter how much I pretend to be, the truth is, I'm just a sniveling brat who misses his mommy.

* * *

><p><strong>Flashback:<strong>

_One year ago…_

I had always been interested in music, since I was four years old I knew for sure that the only thing I ever wanted to be…the thing I had to be…was a musician. My mom was the one who got me into music in the first place. She was a very talented guitarist; actually the guitar I'm playing right now is her old one. My mom was gifted when it came to music, she could have actually gone pro had it not been for me coming into the picture. But even though I was the thing that stopped her dream, she always told me that she never resented me and never regretted raising me as her son. That's why I vowed to her that I would make it big someday in the world of music, for me and for her. I may have only been four at the time that I promised her, but we both took the promise very seriously. We even pinky swore on it.

She was kind to everyone, she was talented beyond imagination, and she was one of the prettiest women that ever lived. Which is why I still don't get it today, how could someone who was so beloved be forced into the cruelty of being bed ridden? When I was fifteen she was diagnosed with a severe case of leukemia. We only had so much money, so all we could afford was a single round of treatments. I gladly gave up some of my bone marrow for her, but in the end it turned out that it was still not enough to help her, so she ended up being placed in the hospital to be looked after. My mom and I didn't have anyone else but each other, she never married because my dad just walked out on us before I was even born, and her parents had died in a car crash earlier on in her life. It was me and her against the world, and as much as I wanted to believe that we could win, I felt deep down inside that it was a hopeless effort. But mom said that she wouldn't give up on me, she said that she wouldn't pass on until I fulfilled our promise and made it big, so she held on to life for three more years.

Then one day she had gotten very weak, the doctors said that she hadn't eaten or drunk anything for at least two days. I tried my best to help her eat something but she was too stubborn. She said that all she wanted to do was talk to me. I eventually gave into her demands and we sat there in her room and talked for hours on end. We talked about random things, how I was doing in school, life in the hospital, new songs that I was writing, any new shows that had come on TV. I remember that day so clearly, I didn't look that much different from how I do now. I was wearing a red hoodie with a guitar decal on it, a pair of green pants, and a pair of white shoes. My mom was lying in the hospital bed, tired and incredibly weak. Even though she was really sick she still looked beautiful with her long blonde hair and shimmering green eyes. I sat down on a barstool that was next to her bed and held her hand while the two of us talked to each other.

I wished that our conversation could last forever, but I couldn't help but feel that mom was using every ounce of her fiber to keep hanging on for just a few more minutes. Finally, she put on a serious face and talked to me. She squeezed my hand and said, "Ian, you've asked me so many times and I've never given you a clear answer have I? Let me tell you about your father."

I shook my head and replied, "No, I don't need to, and I don't want to know anything about the bastard that left you alone after knocking you up with me."

She frowned slightly at me and said, "Don't use that kind of language, even though he did leave me, he gave me the greatest gift of all." She smiled warmly, "He gave me you." Then she sighed and continued speaking, "It was a little over eighteen years ago, your father was a foreign business man from Tokyo."

"I'm half-Japanese?" I asked.

Mom nodded and continued, "He and I met at a café, we chatted it up and he said that he would be staying here for a few months. After that we grew increasingly close, and after three months he left. I could tell that he thought what we had was nothing more than a fling, but for me it was much more. I never had the heart to tell him about you, who knows he might have stayed if he found out." She coughed slightly and then continued talking, "Then nine months later, you were born, and I couldn't have been happier."

I could tell that she was getting weaker and weaker with each word she uttered. "Why are you telling me all of this? Just stop please mom, it's not good for your health." Tears started to stream down my face.

Mom smiled at me and said, "I'm telling you, because I don't want you to grow up into a fine young man who resents his father, I want you to go and meet him. I heard that he's very successful now and leads a company of his own, he has another family and you have a half-brother."

I shook my head and continued to sob, "Please mom, just stop talking."

"Go and meet your father, go and meet your brother. That's my final request."

I closed my eyes to shield myself from tears and then I felt something wrap around my pinky. I opened my eyes and saw that it was my mom. She held up our two pinkies with her shaky strength. "You remember our promise, right Ian?" she asked and then she smiled at me. "Make me proud sweetheart." Then she closed her eyes slowly and I felt her grip on my pinky lessen until finally she let go. Mom was gone.

I sobbed like a baby after that, I was pathetic. But the worst thing of all is that I still feel like I want to cry now, I just can't do it because I don't think I have any more tears left.

**Flashback End**

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><p>She left everything in her will to me, but as of right now I only carry one thing of hers. Her guitar, as long as I have mom's guitar I'm fine. It's like my security blanket; with it around me, I feel safe. I strummed the strings slightly and then I thought to myself. 'I have to get back to life; I have to fulfill mom's last request and our promise. I'm going to meet my dad give him an earful, and then I'm going to rise to the top of the music world.' The only problem was that I couldn't see anything beyond those two goals.<p>

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><p><strong>Joy's POV-<strong>

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><p><em>Inside Warehouse Twenty-three. Shipping district, Akihabara -August 3, 2009, 12:25 P.M. (August 2, 2009, 10:25 P.M. EST). Thirty-five minutes remaining in the Mission.<em>

I laughed at the manga I was reading. Then I said, "Daisuke you are hilarious, you are seriously the last kind of person that should be a god." We had a lot of free-time while we were waiting for the Mission to end so I decided to see what the hype for "Daisuke, watashitachi no ma de kami" was all about. A little while ago I sat down on a cardboard box filled with copies of manga that were yet to be shipped, and read through the manga. And I had been laughing hard ever since, the manga was absolutely the best. It was about a boy named Daisuke Watanori who was a social outcast at his school due to being an incredible wallflower, but it turns out that Daisuke was possessed by an unnamed god when he was a child, and the god's personality was the complete opposite of his. Then one of the most pretty and bubbly girls at the school, Mizuki Tiachi, learns about Daisuke's secret and does her best to help try and cover for him by not attracting unwanted attention, but the excuse that she comes up with is that Daisuke and her are actually dating. This excuse causes the other boys to become envious of Daisuke and want to beat the crud out of him and all of the other girls at the school to see him in a new light and try to get him to notice them. I fell in absolute love with the manga after reading just the first chapter.

I was actually really into manga and anime when I was alive; Pokémon was my most favorite of all though, especially the BL comics (A/N: For those of you that don't know, BL is short for Boy Love, meaning romance about two guys, otherwise known as yaoi. I don't personally read those kinds of things myself, but apparently they're really popular. Please don't flame me yaoi lovers, I know there's a lot of you for TWEWY). But this manga made me laugh a lot, and to me that was something special because I hardly ever really laugh. I haven't laughed once since I came to the UG, but back when I was still alive I used to laugh and play all the time. But that was when I still had Onee-chan with me.

* * *

><p><strong>Flashback:<strong>

_Three months ago…_

I remember one day specifically, all the other kids at AMH were out for the day with their volunteer big brothers and sisters. I had never wanted to do those kinds of things, I already had a big sister, and I loved her more than life itself. Everybody else except for a few of the house watchers were gone, so Onee-chan and I decided to play a game of hide and seek to pass the time. I remember that I was wearing a pink t-shirt with red frills, a pair of matching pink socks, and a black skirt.

I could hear Onee-chan counting from down the staircase, "Sixty-eight, sixty-nine, seventy…" I silently crept down the hall to one of the back rooms, and then I came up on a door that was labeled with two names.

_Anna and Alex_

I smiled and thought to myself, 'There's no way Onee-chan would expect to find me here, our own room is too obvious.' I opened the door and crept into our bedroom, it looked pretty much the same since we left it this morning. It was clear which side of the room belonged to whom. Onee-chan's side of the room was decorated with a paper garden of beautiful flowers, nothing compared to it except for her actual garden. Onee-chan was always gifted with her gardening. Meanwhile, my side of the room was full of stuffed animals that lied on my bed and full of manga that were stacked on my bedside shelf. I crept around the room and then crawled on the floor till I reached my bed, and then I hid underneath it. 'The perfect hiding spot,' I thought to myself.

After a few moments I heard a voice shout, "Ready or not, here I come!"

I heard a few thumping sounds, which was most likely the sound of Onee-chan coming up the stairs. Then I heard the sound of a door open and then the same person spoke again, "Alex, I know you're here, come out wherever you are."

I silently giggled to myself and then I whispered, "You're not going to find me this time Onee-chan."

After that I heard a few more doors open and close, and then after five minutes or so, I heard the door to our bedroom open. "Only one room left, you're a crafty one hiding in the most likely spot, eh sweetie?" Onee-chan fiddled around in the room and checked the closet and inside of the window seat. Then finally the bed skirt was pulled up slightly and a green eye peered at me. One chan laughed, "Anna found you, Anna found you. Now come out from under there silly," Onee-chan said.

I crawled out from under the bed and then giggled and hugged Onee-chan. "Nice job, Onee-chan, it took you long enough though." I had her image of that day burned into my memories; she was a brunette who always wore her hair in braids, she also always wore white ribbons at the bottom of the braids. She was kind of short for her age but she was still taller than me, she also had pastey skin and freckles and a pair of beautiful green eyes. She was wearing a purple undershirt, a pair of black socks, a pair of blue jeans, and her signature silver locket.

Onee-chan returned my hug and giggle. "Well you're a sneaky girl Alex; Anna had a tough time tryin' to find you."

I giggled again and said, "Onee-chan, you let your accent slip again."

Onee-chan pulled back from me and blushed. "Oh I did it again?! Anna's embarrassed."

I continued to giggle at Onee-chan; she didn't seem to realize how funny her reaction was when someone commented on her accent. After Onee-chan calmed down a little, I asked, "Hey Onee-chan, the others aren't going to be back until dinner time. Can we go see how your roses came in now, please?"

Onee-chan smiled at me and then she huffed for a moment like she was thinking about it, "Well?" Finally she exclaimed, "Okay! Anna wanted someone to see her garden anyway; I needed an outside opinion on the way it looks with my new additions."

"Hooray!" I exclaimed, and then the two of us ran downstairs and outside of the house. We laughed and held hands the whole way to Onee-chan's garden.

Onee-chan and I lived in the "Akarui Mirai House", an orphanage for underprivileged kids with a bright future. Most of the children who lived there were true orphans like Onee-chan and I, and had no parents to call their own. Onee-chan lost her parents when she was six years old, she doesn't remember much about her past besides the fact that she was born and raised in America, where she lived in Louisiana and obtained her famous southern drawl. She was kind of awkward at times because of her accent and the fact that she sometimes talked in third person, but she was very kind to me and the other kids. She was our big sister, our Onee-chan, but she was especially my Onee-chan. I've never had any parents, I was raised at the orphanage for my whole life; the only person I could really call my family was Onee-chan.

If I can only see just one person when I return to life, it has to be Onee-chan. I would give anything to see her smiling face again, to hear her say her own name, to hear her slips of the tongue, and to play together with her again. I want my Onee-chan back!

**Flashback End**

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><p>I giggled as I read another section of the manga. 'I want Onee-chan to read this with me when I get back; I know she'll love it as much as I do. I miss you so much Onee-chan, please don't forget about me. I don't know what I would do if I didn't have you.' I didn't care what I had to do to make my dream happen, I would fight with all my might, I would take on any challenge, I would even kill if that's what it took to reunite her with me.<p>

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><p><strong>Pyros' POV-<strong>

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><p><em>Inside Warehouse Twenty-three. Shipping district, Akihabara -August 3, 2009, 12:30 P.M. (August 2, 2009, 10:30 P.M. EST). Thirty minutes remaining in the Mission.<em>

I watched the other three as they were all about their own business. That seemed to be the only thing I ever did. Watch. Shatter was staring out the window; I knew that she had to be thinking about that Rinnosuke guy because I could see shades of pink and sky blue resonating around her. She must have really loved him; I guess there's more to her than being a sadist. Ian was sitting in the corner and strumming the strings on his guitar, he was always messing with that thing. I could see shades of dark blue and red resonating around him. He must have been really depressed and angry about something. Joy was sitting by herself on the far off wall, reading that manga, and every now and then I could hear a giggle from her. I saw shades of yellow and white around her. She was by far the most peculiar; she was both happy and lonely at the same time.

I didn't feel like talking when I met the three of them in UG, I still don't want to talk to them actually. So they gave me a nickname based on my Psyches, Pyros. I guess to them I was nothing but a crazy pyromaniac. But the thing is that I'm not really a pyro; I don't start fires because I have a psychological urge to do it. There's only one reason why I burn things. It's fun.

It's a feeling that's kind of hard to explain, when I quench things in flames, it makes me happy. I don't have an addiction or anything, let me reiterate. I am not a pyro. I set things ablaze because I like doing it, nothing more nothing less.

* * *

><p><strong>Flashback:<strong>

_One year ago…_

I used to be a normal. I looked normal, and had simple black hair and brown eyes. I went to school like any normal teenager. I had a small group of friends. I had a family who loved me and was proud of me. Everything was fine in my life; I didn't have any problems what so ever. It was so damn boring! It took me a little while, but I finally realized something. My life was nothing but an endless rut. Things from day to day never changed, nothing was ever different for me. Eventually I felt like I was trapped inside an endless paradox, that I was doomed to never escape the "normality" of my life. And then one day, I found a lighter.

I found it by pure coincidence when I was taking a shortcut home from school through a pretty much abandoned neighborhood; I had my brown satchel with me and I was wearing my school uniform, a white dress shirt, a black dress jacket, a pair of khaki pants, a pair of black shoes, and a blue tie. The lighter was lying on the ground next to my feet, it seemed like it was calling out to me. I curiously picked the lighter up and examined it. It was made of pure silver and had several words engraved on it in gold.

_Be Reborn In Flame_

I read the engraving over and over again and then I dragged my finger across each groove in it. I didn't know why I was so mesmerized by it at first, I knew what it was but the way I was holding it made me feel like the object was completely foreign to me. After a few more minutes of simply turning the lighter over in my hands, I looked around me to see if anybody was watching. When I was sure that the coast was clear, I flipped up the lighter's cap and looked inside; I saw the torch head and the switch for the little mechanism. I studied the switch carefully, I knew what would happen if I clicked it but I still stared at it with curiosity. Slowly and carefully, I clicked the switch and an orange and blue flame lit up on the torch head. I clicked the switch again and the fire diminished, after that I clicked the switch on and off many times and watched the fire grow and die. Then I looked around me again and I saw a couple scraps of paper and a glass bottle, then I looked up and saw an abandoned building that was boarded up with many wooden boards right in front of me.

A strange urge overcame me and I grabbed the paper and the bottle. Then I lit the paper and stuffed it inside the bottle, and then I threw the bottle at one of the building's non-boarded up windows. The bottle shattered the glass and then flew into the building. A few moments later I saw an orange glow through the broken window and then there was a mini-explosion inside the building. There must have been something flammable inside the building because within minutes the entire structure was on fire. I stared at the orange flames as they were whipped by the wind and continued to grow. It didn't spread to anything else because the building was isolated fifty feet on all sides, so the fire just kept eating away at the building and I just continued to watch the show.

I didn't know why but seeing those flames ignited something deep within me…pleasure, joy, happiness, euphoria, the feeling was unimaginable. 'Fire…fire is unbelievable!' I thought to myself as I watched the fire devour the building whole as if it was a living thing that had been famished from malnourishment. I continued to stand in that same spot and watched the fire, I felt like I was examining a beautiful piece of art. Then I heard sirens in the distance, and I knew that it was time to go. I stashed the lighter in my satchel and then I ran like hell.

That day I felt more alive than I had been in a long time. After that experience I kept the lighter with me, and whenever I got the chance, I would sneak off and burn something else. I was very meticulous though, I only burned things that no one would miss. Around the same time that I started my extracurricular activity, an arsonist had apparently hit the streets of Tokyo. Eventually, I was found out, but not by friends, my family, or even the cops. My activities were discovered by the notorious Color Gang "White Mask". They were feared and renowned all over Tokyo, and apparently I had torched the hideout of one of their rivals, the "Black Widows". It turned out they had been looking for me and wanted me to join their organization, with the promise of letting me burn as much as I wanted.

I accepted the deal and I became one of them. However, I now regret that decision; in fact I regret ever having found that lighter because if it wasn't for my stupid lapse in judgment, "she" wouldn't have died.

**Flashback End**

* * *

><p>Besides the ability to control fire, I have one other Psych that the other three don't know about. I can see people's feelings. They manifest themselves as colors, and each one means a different thing. My eyes change color each time I see a new person, projecting how that person feels. But I don't understand it at all. 'The fire Psyches are a definite with me, but why was I given that kind of Psych?' I wondered. I looked down at my outstretched hand. The only color I couldn't see was my own. 'I probably know what it would read though, dark green for guilt and amber for regret.'<p>

I didn't feel pleasure or any happiness from starting fires anymore, now it just filled me with emptiness and even more guilt. Every time I used my Fire Psyches I felt even more and more darkness swallow me, the only saving grace was my Secret Psych. 'Maybe it's the key to my redemption?' I wondered.

* * *

><p><strong>Regular POV-<strong>

* * *

><p><em>Inside Warehouse Twenty-three. Shipping district, Akihabara -August 3, 2009, 12:35 P.M. (August 2, 2009, 10:35 P.M. EST). Twenty-five minutes remaining in the Mission.<em>

Shitsuren is the Japanese translation of the term "broken heart". For those who have lost their way, for those who have lost someone dear to them, for those who have lost sight of the light, that is the meaning of shitsuren. In the world we live in, there are people who have broken hearts and need help in fixing them, these are the stories of four such individuals.

* * *

><p>AN: Hope you guys liked this back story chapter, and you should know that is definitely not the end of them. In the future there will probably be more chapters like this, but it will probably one character per chapter. Next time is Part 3; hope you're ready for a big fight.


	13. Chapter 13

A/N: Welcome to the real conclusion of Day 2. Before we get to the fights I just want to go over a couple things. First of all, not all Missions in this story will take up multiple chapters like Days 1 and 2; some Missions will only be covered in one chapter. Second, even though this is a battle chapter, please bear with me, I'm not that great at making action scenes; hopefully as this story goes on I'll get better at it. Lastly, who's ready to see an all-out brawl between Neku's Team and Team Shitsuren?! Enjoy reading.

Disclaimer: I do not own the World Ends with You, but I wish I owned the rights to it and the Kingdom Hearts saga.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Thirteen: Week 1, Day 2-The Day Tokyo Cried, Part 3: Neku and Pals vs. Team Shitsuren<strong>

* * *

><p><strong>Regular POV-<strong>

* * *

><p><em>Inside Warehouse Twenty-three. Shipping district, Akihabara -August 3, 2009, 12:40 P.M. (August 2, 2009, 10:40 P.M. EST). Twenty minutes remaining in the Mission.<em>

Shatter, Ian, Joy, and Pyros were still hanging out in the warehouse. Nothing had changed since five minutes ago. Shatter was still staring out the window and watching the rain, Ian was still strumming the strings on his guitar, Joy was still reading "Daisuke, watashitachi no ma de kami", and Pyros was still watching the other three and studying their every movement. Pyros, being the most alert, was the first to know that something was up. He heard footsteps coming from outside the warehouse, it sounded like someone was trying to use the rain as coverage for their movement. Pyros' eyes widened and then he began to look all around him, trying to figure out in which direction the footsteps were coming from.

Ian looked up from his guitar and noticed Pyros' unnerve. "Hey Pyros? What's the matter, you hear something?" Ian asked out of concern. Shatter and Joy looked up from their activities and turned to Pyros as well.

Pyros didn't respond to any of them, he only kept following the sound of footsteps. He followed the sound they made in every direction, moments on end, and then finally…the footsteps stopped. Pyros turned to the large bolted steel doors of the factory. His eyes widened and his irises turned crimson. 'Someone's coming! And whoever they are, they're incredibly pissed off!' he thought to himself.

* * *

><p><em>Outside Warehouse Twenty-three. Shipping district, Akihabara -August 3, 2009, 12:41 P.M. (August 2, 2009, 10:41 P.M. EST). Nineteen minutes remaining in the Mission.<em>

Four shadowy figures were outside the door to the warehouse. One of the figures who was the second tallest of the four asked, "So you're absolutely sure those guys are here?"

The third tallest figure replied, "Trust me, they're here and they have the manga. I just didn't have the courage to go and there and take it from them."

The shortest of the four then asked, "Rin-san is their Team really as strong as you say?"

The third tallest figure replied, "They're ruthless; don't let their appearance deceive you. Ever since they came to the UG they've been slaughtering Players one after another. I barely escaped from them with my life."

The tallest of the four inquired, "Players killing Players? Correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't we supposed to be fighting the Noise and the Reapers?"

The third tallest figure replied, "It's inhumane I know, but that's how they operate. They don't see that what they're doing is wrong in any sort of way, they told me themselves that killing is their strategy to win the Game."

The second tallest figure growled. "Players killing Players, goddammit do they not know what Erasure means?! If you're Erased, you're gone for good! There are no more second chances after that!" he shouted. Then after a moment he calmed down and said in a malicious tone, "They're going to pay. I'm not going to kill them, but I'm going to make them wish that they were dead."

The smallest figure turned to the second tallest figure. "N-Nek-Neku-san?"

Then the tallest figure said, "Calm down man, you're scaring Meow-Meow. Remember the plan that Rin came up with, you take out the leader, and we'll handle the other three."

The second tallest figure sighed and then he said, "Right." Then he turned to the smallest figure and said, "Madoka, do you think you can use your power on this door?"

The smallest figure nodded and said, "I think so." Then she walked up to the door and held up her hand, and a few moments later the steel door broke off its hinges and flew into the warehouse.

The tallest figure ran inside and shouted, "Knock, knock!"

* * *

><p><em>Inside Warehouse Twenty-three. Shipping district, Akihabara -August 3, 2009, 12:42 P.M. (August 2, 2009, 10:42 P.M. EST). Eighteen minutes remaining in the Mission.<em>

* * *

><p><em>Kazuma vs. Ian<em>

The bolted steel door flew off its hinges and landed in the middle of the warehouse. The four members of Shitsuren stared at the door in shock and awe. It had been turned completely inside out, and looked like a meteor had struck it. Ian exclaimed, "What the hell!" and then the four Players turned to the opening that the door had created and saw someone run inside. It was a boy with tan skin and black hair that was frosted.

"Knock, knock!" Kazuma shouted as he ran towards Ian, whose eyes grew wide at the sight of him heading towards him. "You must be that Ian guy, your guitar totally gives you away!" Kazuma shouted. Kazuma's speed allowed him to reach Ian in seconds, and then he was a few inches apart from him, Kazuma threw a high-speed punch at Ian. "Turbo Punch!" Kazuma shouted as his punch connected with Ian's face. Kazuma's punch caused Ian to drop his guitar on the floor, and then get knocked off his feet and fly into the wall behind him, creating a crater from his impact. Kazuma stayed in his punching stance and smirked, "Simplistic and short, the perfect name for that attack," he said.

After a few moments Ian landed back on the ground and then he bore his teeth and glared at Kazuma. Blood was dripping from his head but he didn't seem to mind, he only kept his eyes on Kazuma. "You fuckin' asshole!" he shouted as he brought his hand up, and then he shouted, "Gravity Shackles!" Then suddenly the floor below Kazuma began to crack and crumble, and Kazuma was slammed down into a crater. A cloud of dust overcame the area for a moment, and when it settled, Kazuma was revealed to be lying down in the crater with his arms and legs spread apart. Ian smirked and said, "Now that's a name for an attack. If you attack someone out of the blue like that the least you can do is give your blow a proper name, give some credit to your opponent at least."

* * *

><p><em>Neku vs. Shatter<em>

The mood of the area changed from intense to idiotic in no time flat. Joy and Pyros sweat dropped and Shatter developed an anger mark on her forehead. Shatter grunted and then shouted, "That's the thing you're upset about you dumbass?! Not the fact that he knocked you off your feet like you were a freakin' rag doll?! You're an even bigger moron than I thought!" Then Shatter felt the presence of someone behind her. She turned around and a boy with spikey orange hair and sky blue eyes met her gaze.

Neku glared at her and then asked, "Are you Shatter?"

Shatter returned Neku's glare and replied, "Who the hell's asking?"

Neku didn't reply, he only reached into his pants' pocket and pulled out a familiar white Pin with a purple and yellow fireball decal on it. He clutched it in his right hand and then he said, "My name is Neku Sakuraba," and then he shouted at her, "And I'm going to make you pay for what you've done!"

Shatter's glare lifted and was replaced by an expression of pure glee and insanity. She reached into her vest pocket and then she pulled out a large jagged edged knife that was stained with blood. Shatter giggled and said, "The one who has the power to control the flow of the Game, "Neku" Sakuraba; I've been waiting for you to come out and play," then she giggled again (A/N: Shatter is making a bad pun here about Neku's name, which in Japanese means "one who controls sound"). Shatter slowly walked up to Neku and said, "You're the only one who really poses a threat to us winning the Game. The so called "Winner", if I can get rid of you then nobody else should be a challenge for us. I'll be reunited with my beloved in no time at all," she said in a sing-song voice. Shatter lunged at Neku with her knife, but Neku side-stepped and avoided her, causing Shatter to end up behind him. Shatter stopped running and turned around to meet Neku.

Neku loosened his grip on his Pin and frowned at Shatter. "You're no threat, I easily dodged that," he said. Neku shook his head, "You're not evil at all are you? You're just crazy. Something's definitely wrong with you upstairs. If I fight you, there would a complete mismatch."

Shatter smirked at Neku and said, "I'm not crazy, I'm just a little above the curve of sanity." Shatter held her knife up in her hand and showed it to Neku. It was dripping with fresh blood.

Neku's eyes widened and then he looked down at his side. He had a small gash on his hip that was bleeding. 'What the hell's going on?! I dodged her with ease! How did she?!' Neku's thoughts went wild as he examined the cut, the knife had torn right through his shirt and pried open his skin. Then Shatter laughed at his reaction, and Neku turned back to face her.

Shatter's smirk turned into crazy smile. "I'm no threat? Please, I never miss; the problem is you couldn't see my blade…and apparently you didn't even feel it." Shatter walked slowly up to Neku, and Neku responded in backing away from her. "You're scared now; my blade can taste your fear. That's really good Sakuraba, you should be very afraid of me."

Neku had an expression of fear on his face. "You...you're using some kind of Psych aren't you?!" he shouted.

Shatter stopped in her tracks and then made Neku stop retreating. She laughed again and then she nodded, "That's right, I'm the proud owner of a Rare Breed of Psych known as "Cut". Think of my blade as an extension of my body, mind, and soul." Shatter put her knife down by her side and continued talking, "I don't even have to slash you directly, all I have to do is think about hurting you and then…" Shatter was cut off when Neku yelped in pain.

Another gash had appeared on Neku's left arm and the pain made him clutch it with his other arm and then hold it by his side. "Rare Breed?! What the hell is that?!" Neku shouted at Shatter.

"You don't know, your speedy friend over there had one too," Shatter said pointing to the crater that Kazuma was in. "Rare Breeds are Psyches that are extremely hard to obtain or use, each one is very powerful but there's also some drawbacks to using them. For instance, "Cut" has a tendency to bring out the animalistic instinct in the user, making them kind of psychotic like yours truly." Shatter brought her knife up to her face and then licked some of Neku's blood off the blade. "But the benefits to using it are so great that I don't give a rat's ass about how insane I seem."

Neku's eyes widened, and then after a second his eyes returned to normal. He shook his head again, "I take it back you're not crazy. You're bat fuckin' loopie!" he shouted. He brought a strong grip back onto "Phoenix Glow" and after a few seconds he was cloaked in the familiar purple and yellow veil, which caused Neku's wounds to suddenly heal. Then Neku glared at Shatter, "And I won't let you hurt anyone else!"

Shatter smirked again, "Then let's play," she said.

* * *

><p><em>Kazuma vs. Ian<em>

Kazuma was still pinned down in the crater and although he struggled to get free, he couldn't get himself up onto his feet no matter how hard he tried. Ian walked up to the crater and smirked at him. "You're wasting your time, mate," Ian said, "My Psyches have the power to control the center of gravity around anything, including other people. Right now your arms and legs have a center of gravity that's about a hundred times more than normal to them, that's the meaning of "Gravity Shackles". Plus, it rolls of the tongue nicely when you say it, don'tcha think?" he asked Kazuma.

Kazuma smirked and replied, "Okay, yeah I have to admit, your attack name is pretty cool. But I wonder? Can you do anything like this?" Kazuma continued to struggle to free his arms and legs from the invisible chains that bound him, suddenly his arms and legs moved faster and faster and even faster, until they were nothing but a blur. Ian stared at the scene with confusion and was surprised when Kazuma suddenly jumped out of the crater. Kazuma moved his arms and legs like they had fallen asleep on him and he had to wake them up, and then he smiled at Ian. "I was right, you can change the center of gravity around a person but the gravity only changes in the area that they reside in. So if I move my body fast enough to become nonsolid particles I can counteract your gravity. Still need's a name right? How about "BS'ing Gravity"?"

Ian glared at Kazuma and then he touched his right hand with his left hand, and then vice-versa. Then he touched his legs, and then he picked up his guitar. "Besides messing with other people's gravity, I can also mess with my perception of gravity," he said as he raised his guitar over his head with one hand.

Kazuma laughed at Ian and then he asked, "So what? Are you going to try to wail on me with your guitar?"

Ian smirked and replied, "Half-right. Ian touched his guitar and then he lowered it back to the ground with a massive slam that scattered up a bunch of dust. When the dust cleared a large crater was revealed. "I'm going to wail on you with a five hundred pound guitar."

Kazuma sweat dropped as he made a nervous expression. "Whack-A-Mole, then?" he joked. Ian suddenly slammed his guitar down over Kazuma, forcing him to use his quick speed to dodge. Kazuma panted profusely after Ian's attack. "Note…to self," he said between breaths, "Don't joke around…with a guy who can manipulate gravity." After that display, Kazuma ran around the area while Ian chased him with his "heavy-metal".

* * *

><p><em>Madoka vs. Joy<em>

While the fights between Neku and Shatter, and Kazuma and Ian were going on, Madoka and Joy were standing on the sidelines. They were standing right next to each other, but they were so engrossed in the battles that they hadn't even noticed each other.

"You can do it Neku-san and Kazuma-san! /Beat 'em up Shatter-san and Ian-san!" the two girls yelled at the same time, and then finally they noticed that the other was standing next to them. They jumped back from each other by a few feet and then they both shouted at each other, "My friends are going to win!" The two girls blinked for a second and then they shouted, "No mine are!" The same thing happened and then they shouted, "Stop copying me! Stop it! I'm warning you!" Then the two girls stuck out their tongues at each other and then they shouted, "You're annoying!" and turned away from each other in a huff.

Then Madoka turned back for a second and noticed that Joy was holding "Daisuke, watashitachi no ma de kami" in her hands. Madoka gasped and exclaimed, "That's the manga we need!" then she ran up to Joy and shouted, "Give it!"

Joy huffed again and replied, "No, it's mine."

Then Madoka tried to pry the manga out of Joy's hands, and Joy tried to keep Madoka at bay. They ended up trying to push the other's face back. Madoka said, "We…need it."

Joy replied, "No…we need it…and Onee-chan needs to read it." Joy managed to overpower Madoka and push her back. Then she spotted Pyros, standing nearby watching the action. "Pyros-kun!" she called to him, "Catch!" then she threw the manga to Pyros. Pyros caught it and nodded to her, and then he ran out of the warehouse and out into the rain.

Joy laughed at Madoka and said, "Now you won't win the Mission, and your other two Team members are probably going to be killed. No one can beat Shatter-san and Ian-san." Then Joy walked closer to Madoka, "And for good measure, I'll Erase you too. This will be my first solo kill, so you better not disappoint me." Then Joy cleared her throat and she began to hum a little tune. Slowly, that tune began to turn into a song that sounded sweet and beautiful. She sang the song in melody, "La, la, la, la, la. Thoughts of sadness and gray, vanish from me today. Bring me to a world of peace and love, so I ask from the heavens above." Then she closed her eyes for a moment, and when she opened them something automatically appeared before her. It was an odd looking creature that appeared to be some sort of turtle, except it was all blue and had amber colored eyes.

Then it spoke and shouted, "Squirtle!"

Joy put her hands on her hips and smirked at Madoka, and then she laughed and said, "Look at you now you foolish girl, you're so surprised by my amazing Psych that you're speechless right now. Right?" she asked.

Madoka cocked her head to the side slightly and stared at Joy and the turtle strangely, and then she replied, "Something like that." Then she asked, "What is that thing anyway?"

Joy's eyes went wide and then she gasped and exclaimed, "What?! How can you not recognize a Squirtle when you see it!? It's one of the most well-known Pokémon!"

Madoka cocked her head even farther, "Pokémon? What's a Pokémon?"

Joy's eyes grew even wider and she exclaimed in an even louder voice, "What?!" Joy gritted her teeth and her hands started to shake, "You bratty girl, not knowing about Pokémon, in my book that is one of the greatest sins a person can commit! Your punishment for being so ignorant is Erasure by a water-type! Squirtle, Water Gun!" Joy shouted as she pointed at Madoka.

The Squirtle responded by blasting a stream of water from his mouth and aiming it at Madoka. Madoka looked up at the stream and simply brought her hands up to counteract it, a second later the water stream burst into pieces that instantly evaporated. Madoka smiled at Joy and said, "Your power is a lot of fun, you even sing to get it to work; I wish I could do that, but all I can do is hold my hands up and make things go boom." Madoka spoke to Joy as if they were simply playing a kids' game, and she had not yet realized that she had the winning move of the game.

Joy's left eye began to twitch. 'This bratty girl is so annoying and dumb!' she thought to herself, 'Does she think she's really going to fool me with that little nice act of hers?! She should just die!' "Squirtle use Whirlpool!" Joy commanded.

The Squirtle then made a giant pool of water above his head that looked similar to a top, and then the Squirtle fired it at Madoka, who easily countered it with her usual move. Much like the Water Gun, the Whirlpool blew apart and then evaporated. Madoka simply giggled, "I was wrong before, you're not annoying or mean, you're just really fun. Do you want to be friends with me?" Madoka asked.

Joy growled and stamped her feet on the ground. "Bratty girl, bratty girl," she mumbled as the Squirtle disappeared from the area. After a moment Joy recovered and then she smirked at Madoka again, "Oh well, even if you somehow manage to defeat me, you will never get the manga back now that Pyros-kun has it in his possession," she mocked.

Madoka stared at Joy with a confused face, and then she asked, "Oh you mean that fire hair guy?" Madoka smiled and responded, "Don't worry, Rin-san will get it from him. So let's play some more, okay?"

Joy growled and threw a temper tantrum that ended up lasting a long time. Eventually, Madoka decided to go back to watching the fights and cheering for her comrades, while Joy just pouted in the corner. Joy clearly couldn't handle Madoka's genuine sweetness.

_Madoka vs. Joy: Winner-Madoka_

* * *

><p><em>Shipping district, Akihabara -August 3, 2009, 12:52 P.M. (August 2, 2009, 10:52 P.M. EST). Eight minutes remaining in the Mission.<em>

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><p><em>Rin and Pyros<em>

Pyros ran through the rain while holding onto the manga for dear life. After a few minutes of running he stopped and found shelter under a nearby roof awning. Then Pyros panted for a minute, trying to catch his breath. After that Pyros frowned, 'Man, what the hell is wrong with me?' he asked himself, 'I used to be a tough guy who didn't take shit from anyone, but now I'm running scared from what? Some color?' He turned the manga over in his hands and continued to think, 'But still, it's kind of weird. I watched all three of them, Sakuraba, that guy in the hoodie, and that little girl with the cat hat. None of them had a crimson color.' Eventually Pyros sighed and said to himself, "Maybe I'm just losing my mind, seeing colors I mean come on, it's ridiculous."

"He speaks," a voice said.

Pyros' eyes widened and he began to look all around him. "Who's there? Show yourself!" he called out.

Then Pyros heard a laugh and the voice continued to speak, "Still making demands, eh Hideaki?"

Pyros' eyes widened and then he shouted into the dark and rainy area which he was in, "Who are you! How do you know my name!"

The voice replied, "You don't know who I am? I'm a little hurt; we just met today after all. And as for how I know your name…" Then Pyros saw someone walk out of the shadows; it was a boy with messy brown hair and blue eyes. He wore a pair of black pants with chain straps on them, a pair of white shoes, a black leather jacket, and a white under shirt. It was Rin.

Rin smiled at him and continued, "…you're the one that told me remember."

Pyros stared at Rin oddly, he had a look that made it seem like he was trying to remember Rin but he just couldn't quite place it.

After a moment of silence Rin sighed and said, "Imagine me with glasses, and a look of terror on my face as a knife is prodded through my chest."

Pyros' eyes widened and he mumbled, "Ri-Rinnosuke?"

Rin smiled smugly, "How did Shatter say it? Ding, ding, ding, give the boy a prize. But, Rinnosuke Maeda already died today, just call me Rin."

Pyros dropped the manga and it landed on the wet concrete ground. Then he began to shake and mumble, "H-how? Y-you're dead. Y-you're supposed to be dead."

Rin shook his head and replied, "Aren't you forgetting you're dead too?" Then Rin slowly walked up to Pyros and continued to talk, "I was never dead to begin with remember?" and then he chuckled and said, "Technically I wasn't even a Player, I was just some dope who stumbled upon a lost Pin, and wound up dead because of it. I did nothing wrong!" he shouted. Thunder went off in the background, and then Rin calmed down and continued to speak, "I guess even the Angels have a soft spot for Mortals. They decided that because I wasn't a Player but was still killed in the Game, to give me what's known as a Penalty Play. Along with one of the Rarest Breed of Psyches, "Data"." He stopped walking when he was five feet away from Pyros. "Since you doubt your Psych, you probably didn't read your message fully like Shatter did."

"What's Shatter got to do with this?" Pyros asked.

* * *

><p><em>Inside Warehouse Twenty-three. Shipping district, Akihabara -August 3, 2009, 12:55 P.M. (August 2, 2009, 10:55 P.M. EST). Five minutes remaining in the Mission.<em>

* * *

><p><em>Neku vs. Shatter<em>

Neku charged at Shatter while he was in his "Phoenix Glow" form; meanwhile, Shatter charged at Neku while she brandished her knife and smiled malevolently. The two Players connected with each other and then skidded to a halt five feet away from each other. Neku punched her in her left arm while Shatter countered by slashing his left arm. They pulled away from each other and saw the damage of their efforts. Neku had given Shatter a second degree burn on her arm, which she hung loosely from her side to deal with the pain. Shatter had given Neku a large cut which was mostly healed by "Phoenix Glow's" healing power and had turned into a large scar that stung him slightly. But despite their injuries, the two Players were quick to go into a scramble between each other. Shatter prodded and stabbed at Neku with her knife, while Neku did his best to dodge the knife and counterattack with a few punches and kicks. Shatter dodged nearly all of Neku's blows but she never took her eyes off Neku's face, it was like her mind had been transferred into the blade, and her body had a completely different mind of its own. This appeared to be the true power of "Cut".

Eventually, Shatter got tired of the scramble fight and decided to aim for Neku's unprotected places. She stabbed at Neku's chest, and Neku barely jumped back and got out of the way in time. Shatter managed to get a shallow cut in that was easily healed by "Phoenix Glow", but getting slashed with that knife of her's still hurt like hell for him. Neku panted desperately as he was growing tired from the battle, it seemed that he had had on his Pin's cloak for too long and now his Psych Energy was being sapped away with each passing second. 'This is ridiculous, I can feel myself getting weaker but she's not fazed at all,' Neku thought as he stared at his opponent. Shatter was just swinging around her knife aimlessly as if she was playing with a simple toy; her eyes seemed shallow and hazy and her smile seemed to be the very definition of insane looking, it was as if Shatter's mind had all but disappeared. 'I wonder, is that Psych that she has really that powerful?' he asked himself. Unfortunately his questions were unanswered as the seemingly possessed Shatter charged at him again, forcing Neku to defend himself again and endure his need for rest.

* * *

><p><em>Shipping district, Akihabara -August 3, 2009, 12:56 P.M. (August 2, 2009, 10:56 P.M. EST). Four minutes remaining in the Mission.<em>

* * *

><p><em>Rin and Pyros<em>

"Shatter is just like you and I, Hideaki," Rin replied to Pyros' question. "She possesses a Rare Breed of Psych known as "Cut"; "Cut" is an extremely powerful Psych that ups the user's attack and stamina exponentially, but as a side-effect it makes the user give into an animalistic nature and become driven on pure urge and instinct to kill." Then Rin chuckled again and added, "It's not a pretty site for someone like Shatter, who already was sadistic when she was alive. Do you know that she was actually a suspect in the "Ueno Slasher" case, but the cops didn't have enough evidence to call her on it." Then Rin pointed to Pyros, "Then there's you, Hideaki Ryuzora; let's read your Record shall we. A pure unadulterated pyromaniac, even if he doesn't want to admit it. His bad tendency of being an arsonist caused him to be sought out by the Color Gang "White Mask", and he accepted their offer to join willingly," Rin chuckled again, "Man, you were a really messed up kid."

Pyros frowned slightly and then he asked, "How do you know all of this?"

Rin replied, "I told you already, it's the power of "Data". It allows me to have access to the Angels' Records, I have information on every part of the Game, every Reaper, every Angel, every Player, and every Rare Breed." Rin continued speaking, "Rare Breeds are special Psyches which Players aren't meant to possess, so far there are five exceptions to this rule. Me, Shatter, Eturome, Amari, and you." Rin raised up five of his fingers and lowered them as he explained each person. "I possess "Data", Shatter has "Cut", Eturome has "Turbo", Amari has "Combust", and you Hideaki possess "Sight"." Rin smiled and explained, "The colors you see around people are part of "Sight", you can see people's inner being. Tell me what's my inner being look like?"

Pyros' eyes widened when he looked directly at Rin, and his irises changed from color to color in each passing second. Pyros backed up against the wall and began to shake out of fear. "Wh-what the…hell are you?" Pyros asked.

Rin smiled and said, "I'm humanity's savior…" then he walked up to Pyros and picked the manga up off the ground, "…and I'm also the fourth member of Team Hikari (A/N: This is Team Neku's Team Name, in the next chapter I will explain how it was chosen by them. All you need to know for now is that "hikari" is the Japanese word for light)." Then Rin held the manga with his elbow and reached into his pocket to pull out his cellphone. Pyros saw him text something, and then he saw Rin put his phone back into his pocket. Rin smiled at Pyros and then waved at him. "Well this has been fun catching up, see you next time."

Pyros stayed silent for a moment and then he called out to Rin, "Hey, wait!" Rin turned back and shifted his attention to Pyros. Pyros sighed for a moment and then he said, "You have information on every Player right? Including me?" he asked, and then Pyros looked directly at Rin. "Then do you know about the girl I'm looking for?"

Rin smiled and nodded. "You want to know that badly?" he asked.

Pyros nodded in reply.

"Then I want you to do a little favor for me. You're going to be my eyes and ears on Shitsuren, and inform me of anything that happens to your Team on its Missions throughout the rest of the Game. Do we have a deal?" Rin asked.

Pyros nodded again.

Rin scoffed and said, "Her name is Annabelle Greene, and she is a Player. If things go how I expect they will in the future, then I will cross paths with her, and she'll be our little bargaining chip. If you do exactly what I say then you have my word that absolutely nothing bad will happen to her, but if you don't obey me then I can't guarantee her safety." Pyros glared at Rin, and Rin turned away from him and continued walking away. Then Rin shouted from his far off distance, "Oh, and don't tell Shatter or the others that you saw me! Let's keep this encounter our little secret Hideaki!"

Pyros continued to glare at Rin as he walked away, and when Rin was gone he cursed, "Damn you!"

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><p><em>Inside Warehouse Twenty-three. Shipping district, Akihabara -August 3, 2009, 12:59 P.M. (August 2, 2009, 10:59 P.M. EST). One minute remaining in the Mission.<em>

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><p><em>Madoka and Joy<em>

Madoka continued to watch the battles that her Teammates were involved in, and continued to cheer them on and give emotional support. "Go, Neku-san! Go, Kazuma-san!" she shouted and then her chanting was interrupted by a familiar _meowing _noise. Madoka reached into her jacket pocket and pulled out her cellphone, and then she checked her recent text message.

_I've got the manga, great work on stalling the others, everything went exactly as planned. See you tomorrow. –Rin_

Madoka smiled and exclaimed in glee, "Yay! I knew you could do it Rin-san!" Madoka turned around to see that Joy was still moping in the corner. Madoka ran over to her and then said, "Well it looks like Rin-san beat that other guy, so I guess we won."

Joy's eyes widened and she stood up right. "What?! How could Pyros-kun lose?!" she exclaimed, and then Joy glared at Madoka. "This isn't over. You haven't heard the last of Alexandra Joy and Team Shitsuren," Joy said in a melodramatic voice.

Madoka gasped and replied, "So your name is Alexandra. That's a really pretty name, do you mind if I call you Alex-chan?" she asked with a smile.

Joy growled again and exclaimed, "No you may not! Why are you trying to be all buddy-buddy with me?! Don't you understand?! We're enemies you idiot!"

Madoka continued to smile and then she said, "We may be on opposite Teams but that doesn't mean we have to hate each other. My name's Madoka and I hope that we can become good friends someday Alex-chan."

Joy stared strangely at Madoka and then asked, "What is with you? Why are you so bright and cheery? Don't you realize the circumstances we're in?"

Madoka shrugged her shoulders and said, "We can have fun right? I mean it's a Game, it's supposed to be enjoyed."

Joy frowned and then she brought up her right hand to her face. She stared at the Timer on her palm. Twenty seconds remained. Then Joy looked up to Madoka and saw that she was still smiling at her. 'Could it be? She doesn't know we're dead?' Joy wondered. Then she held her right hand over her heart and thought, 'I wish I could have that kind of innocence.' Joy looked directly at Madoka and took in her features, her lavender eyes and her warm smile. 'She reminds me of Onee-chan, oblivious to what's going on, but kind to a fault.'

After a few moments of silence the world turned white around the two girls.

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><p><em>Kazuma vs. Ian<em>

Ian slammed his guitar down on the concrete again, making yet another crater. Kazuma kept barely dodging the heavy instrument as it barreled down on his head moment after moment. Kazuma was beginning to grow tired from the endless avoidance. 'Man, how much strength did his modified gravity give him?' Kazuma wondered, 'That guitar has to weigh a ton now to do this much damage, and he picks it up and throws it down with such ease.' After a few more failed attempts at trying to whack Kazuma from above, Ian decided to try a different approach. He put his guitar at a horizontal angle and then he began to spin around in circles while pulling the guitar with him, turning himself and his guitar into a giant spinning top of destruction and "heavy metal". Kazuma jumped up real high in the air to avoid Ian's attack, and then he used "Turbo" to run around in circles while in midair.

While in the air Kazuma's heavy metal ring tone went off, and then Kazuma reached into his pocket and retrieved his cellphone to check his new text message.

_I've got the manga, great work on stalling the others, everything went exactly as planned. See you tomorrow. –Rin_

Kazuma smiled and then he stopped running in midair and allowed himself to fall. He turned around to face Ian's attack head-on and then he smirked and shouted, "Hey, I've been thinking about our "name war", and I've decided to give you a nickname!"

The top attack slowed down and Ian came into view again. Ian smirked at Kazuma, "Oh yeah, well don't keep me in suspense! What's my name, mate?!" he asked.

Kazuma timed his fall and he landed right on top of Ian's guitar as it spun around in its slow spin radius. "Okay, how does the name "Amp" sound to you?!" Kazuma shouted as he ran along the body of Ian's guitar and straight up to Ian. "You know, because you increased your guitar's "volume" (A/N: Kazuma is making a bad pun, associating the volume of music with the measurement of volume)!" Kazuma shouted as he ran up to Ian and kicked him in the face, knocking him and his guitar back.

Ian was knocked off his feet by Kazuma's kick and was sent flying back into the wall that he had been caught in at the start of the battle, while his guitar fell to the ground with a large crash. After a few moments Ian recovered and dropped down from his hole in the wall, fresh blood had been added to his old wound. Ian smiled at Kazuma and said, "I love it, call me nothing but Amp from now on, okay?"

Kazuma nodded, "Alright, and since we're out of time, let's see if we can settle this next time, 'kay Amp."

Ian chuckled and replied, "You know it Speedy."

The two boys walked up to each other and then fist bumped, while the world turned white around them.

_Kazuma vs. Ian: Draw_

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><p><em>Neku vs. Shatter<em>

Neku crouched down to avoid Shatter's knife as she plunged it directly at his chest, and then he countered with a sweeping kick and successfully knocked Shatter off her feet. Neku got back up on his feet and then walked over to shatter, who was now lying on the ground. Shatter's knife lay a few feet away from her, after a few moments she lifted her head up and then she tried to crawl the distance to reach her knife and counterattack against Neku. 'I must…kill Sakuraba. The only way…to be reunited…with Rin-chan!' she shouted in her head. Then she stopped crawling when a foot stood atop her knife. Shatter looked up and saw Neku, standing above her in triumph. Shatter's eyes had returned to normal and she glared at him. 'Sakuraba!' she thought while she growled. Neku's phone vibrated and he pulled it out of his pants' pocket and checked his new text message.

_I've got the manga, great work on stalling the others, everything went exactly as planned. See you tomorrow. –Rin_

Neku put his phone away and then he turned his attention back to Shatter. He frowned at her and then he said, "I feel sorry for you. Giving you a Psych like that, the Angels are a bunch of dicks with a sick sense of humor." Neku kicked Shatter's knife away from them and then he crouched down to meet Shatter face to face. "I'm not going to get rid of you, I wanted to at first after I heard about all the other Players that you killed. But now I realize that you had no choice in the matter. That Psych was probably controlling you the whole time." Neku stretched his hand out to help Shatter up onto her feet. "What do you say? Truce?" he asked.

Shatter smiled and then she began to laugh manically. Neku became confused, and then after a few moments Shatter stopped laughing. Then Shatter swatted Neku's hand away and said, "Piss off! You don't know anything about me. "Cut" doesn't control me, I control "Cut". And that's the way it's been since I came to the UG. You know how long I've been here Sakuraba? Almost a whole fuckin' year!" she shouted.

Neku's eyes widened.

Shatter frowned and continued, "This is the first Game I've ever been in. I only recently found out that the UG is meant for it, so I've just been wandering around aimlessly since then. The only thing that kept me going was my dream, to be reunited with my beloved. But when I found out the reason why there hasn't been a Game in so long was because of some shit named Neku Sakuraba I snapped. I killed and slaughtered other Players in order to find you; I even had to kill my beloved because he was a Player too." Shatter started to cry a little, "It's all because of you. The Game, this mental torture, the Players that I've killed, my dead prince, it's all your damn fault!" Shatter glared at Neku, "I don't care if I have to fight you a thousand fuckin' times, I will have my revenge on you. You hear me Sakuraba?! I will never forgive you!"

Neku merely stayed still while his eyes remained wide. Then the world became white around the two Players.

_Neku vs. Shatter: Winner-Neku?_

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><p>AN: Hope that seemed like a fairly decent series of battles for the first fight chapter. Day 3 starts next time, see you then.


	14. Chapter 14

A/N: Not officially Day 3 yet, that will start next chapter. This chapter takes place between Days 2 and 3, showing you what the Angels have been up to since the Game began. All the Composers for the Game Areas will be introduced in this chapter but the main focus is on the Composer that will be drawn upon for the next few chapters, who is another well-known Angel besides Michael and Raphael. I'm talking of course about the Angel of knowledge, the one and only Metatron. And for all of you fellow followers of the paranormal sense of life and religion, and of course "Supernatural", you might recognize the names of some other Angels, but there is one that you definitely won't recognize because he is an OC made by my good friend **Natsuno Circus**. Hope I do your OC justice man. Without further ado, let the Higher Being Council meet at last!

Disclaimer: I don't own the World Ends with You.

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><p><strong>Chapter Fourteen: Week 1, Day 2Day 3-The Council **

* * *

><p><strong>Regular POV-<strong>

* * *

><p><em>?,?-Day 2Day 3_

We find ourselves in another dark room. However, in this room there are eleven blue beams of light that give a somewhat clear picture to the room. There are multiple books that are messily stacked on the walls of the room, and in the very back of the room there are several chalk boards with mathematical equations written on them that would like complete gibberish to anyone without an IQ of 140 or higher. The blue beams of light that slightly lit up the room were arranged in a sort of oval-shaped pattern, with five beams on each long side of the room and one beam at the very end of the room, while the other side of the room completed the oval shape with a crescent-shaped hardwood desk. There was a black swivel chair behind the desk that faced the wall, and there was someone sitting in the chair and making slight _clicking_ sounds from doing some unknown monotonous activity. After several _clicks _a masculine sounding grunt was heard, and then after a few more _clicks_ a voice cursed, "Dammit!" A few more _clicks_ sounded off and then a deep sigh was heard from behind the swivel chair. The swivel chair turned around to reveal a boy with black needle-spike hair and dark blue eyes. He wore a black t-shirt with the formula E=mc2 decaled on it, a pair of blue jeans, and a pair of white doctor shoes. He looked to be around seventeen and he had a pale complexion and a slightly pointed jawline.

The boy placed a weird looking puzzle box down on his desk in front of him, and then he sighed again and said to himself, "Jeez, I'm a super-genius and I can't figure out one stupid little puzzle." The boy slouched down onto the desk and said, "Oh who am I kidding, it's taken me several millennia to get this far with it and I'm probably not gonna solve it for another couple millennia. Why did I have to ask for an idea for a puzzle that can never be solved? Why am I so damn full of myself?" Then the boy heard a slight static sound.

Then a voice said to him in a sarcastic tone, "It's nice to see that you've been really helpful since the Game started, Meti. Would it kill you to put down your stupid puzzle cube and make up some challenging Missions?"

The boy named Meti looked up slightly from his desk and then sighed and said, "Hey Raphe, how's the Guardian life been treating ya?" he asked in a bored sounding way.

One of the beams of light had disappeared and in its place stood a blue hologram of Raphael. Raphael wore a stern expression and replied, "I can't complain, I've been given an important position by Brother Michael after all."

Meti snickered and said, "Life as we know it could come to an end and you still would follow Mickey around like a trained dog wouldn't ya?"

Raphael's glare deepened and then he replied, "Meti, since you're my youngest brother I'll let that remark slide, but you would do well to remember your manners and place in the Game. Have you also forgotten about the meeting scheduled for right now?"

Meti scoffed, "If I had forgotten about the meeting, wouldn't I be out of my office right now?"

Raphael nodded, "True, but it looks to me like you haven't left your chamber since the Reapers' Game began."

Meti snickered again and replied, "Ya got me Raphe. Sharp as a tack as ever I see."

Another static sound was heard and someone else spoke. "He hasn't left his HQ since the Game started, has he? Honestly, Meti you are so lazy."

Meti turned from his left to his right and saw that another beam of light had been replaced with a blue hologram of a female who had long hair and looked to be about nineteen. She wore a kimono that had flower patches on it and a pair of Geta. Meti smiled and said, "Hey Uri, you're looking as hot as ever."

The female growled at Meti and replied, "How many times have I told you that I like to be called by my full name Meti. Its Uriel you hear me?! Uriel!" Then she calmed down and said, "And second," she shook like she was incredibly creeped out, "Ugh! I'm your sister you sicko!" she shouted.

Meti's smile widened and said, "The heart wants what the heart wants. And secondly, we're not really related Uri, none of us are."

Another static sound was heard and then someone said, "My ears are burning. I know someone said something that was inappropriate. Who is the guilty party? Show yourself!" On the left side of the room another hologram appeared of man who looked to be in his twenties. He had a square jaw, neatly combed hair, and a slightly slim bodyline. He wore a business suit complete with tie and dress shoes, and a pair of broad rimmed glasses. "Who is the purveyor of filth that my sense of justice compels me to incarcerate."

Meti snickered and raised his hand, "That would be me Mr. Justice. I was just complimenting Uri on her new look, and I used the term "hot". I'm sorry, did that not register as pure?"

The man pushed his glasses up onto his face and replied, "The term "hot" is used when one is describing the appearance of a noun in the proverbial sense. Alone it is simple and harmless, but when it used in the sexual sense as you used to describe Uriel who is your sister it becomes…" the man glared at Meti, "Impure!" he shouted. "I hereby motion that Metatron be forbidden from being a Composer of the Game from henceforth, until the end of time for his deliberate disregard for the universe's well-being and purity."

Another static sound was heard and then a hologram appeared next to the man of justice. It was another man who looked to be about the same age as him, and he had short hair that was slightly spikey and contained a flower tangled in one of his fridges. He wore a pair of jeans, a pair of flip-flops, a leather vest with no undershirt which showed his bare abs, and a pair of sunglasses. "Hey, hey time out here," he said in a calm voice. "Raguel, I thought that we've been over this already," he said to the man of justice. "Not everything that you find uncomfortable can be considered as impure, man. If the universe worked like that then everyone would be guilty of being impure. Where would the love be in that world, man?"

The man named Raguel crossed his arms in a huff and replied, "And if the world worked like you would want it to Orphiel, there would be chaos abound."

The man named Orphiel smiled and replied, "That's why we all have to work together. All of us HB's complete each other, man. Without one another the universe would be such a drag, ya dig."

Another static sound went off, and another hologram appeared on the other side of Orphiel. The hologram was a boy who looked to be about seventeen. He wore a hoodie with the hood draped over his head, completely shielding the left half of his face in the shadows and making it only possible to distinguish the features of the right half of his face; he also wore a pair of long pants and a pair of tennis shoes. The right half of his face showed that he wore an expression that seemed depressing, with bags under his right eye and a partial frown, he also had a bang of hair that drooped down slightly above his right eye. "The boundaries which divide Life from Death are at best shadowy and vague. Who shall say where the one ends, and where the other begins?" the boy asked in a depressed sounding voice (A/N: This is a quote from Edgar Allen Poe).

Metatron sighed, "Oh great, Sam's here. Now the party can really begin," he said sarcastically.

Orphiel frowned slightly at the new arrival and then he said, "As much as I hate to agree with slander, Metatron's right Samael. Your negative aura is really harshing my mellow, ya dig."

The boy named Samael shrugged his shoulders and then he replied, "Death is a fearful thing," (A/N: This is a quote from William Shakespeare).

Another static sound was heard and then another hologram appeared on the right side of the room. "Seriously Samael, even though you are the Recorder of Death, that doesn't mean that you have to talk about death all the time," a female voice said. The hologram was of a girl who had short hair which had tips that curved outward in the front. She wore a school uniform that consisted of a blouse, a tie, a short skirt, knee-high socks, a pair of dress shoes, a hair band, and an arm band that showed she was part of the Discipline Committee for the school she was in. The girl was basically the very definition of cute; she had a slim body line and a generous amount of cleavage. The girl sighed, "Maybe I shouldn't have given you those books on poetry," she said to Samael, "I should have known that you would just read the ones on death."

Uriel snickered slightly and then she said, "That look is an interesting choice of style for you, Sophia. You're usually not someone who cares about their appearance. Wasn't the last form you took an old lady with lisverspots and wrinkles as far as the eye can see?"

The girl named Sophia huffed and simply replied, "Unlike some people, I don't care what form I take. I think doing our jobs is more important than comparing the likeness of ourselves to the form that we choose." She smiled smugly and said, "Wouldn't you agree Uriel?"

Uriel glared at Sophia and then she mumbled, "Know-it-all."

Another hologram appeared next to Sophia; "Hey, raise the roof people! Leo is in the house!" A hologram of Leonidas appeared in the room, causing every one of the other holograms to groan in unison. Leonidas exclaimed, "Whoa!" and then he rubbed his shoulder and said, "Jeez, did someone turn up the AC in here because my shoulder suddenly feels ice cold. Where's the love people?"

Raphael grunted and said, "Leonidas your entrances show little if no humility, and no tactfulness whatsoever."

"Humility? Tactfulness? Those words do not even belong in the same sentence with Leonidas," Uriel said.

Raguel pushed his glasses back up on the bridge of his nose again and added to the conversation. "Indeed, your impurity is boundless compared to any other."

Orphiel shook his head, "Sorry man, but I gotta agree with the Conformists on this one. You're so full of yourself that even I'm starting to feel negative. Make it stop, man!" he exclaimed.

"May death come ever so quickly to you Leonidas," Samael added.

Sophia grunted and then shouted, "You are the most bone-headed, waste of space, sentient being that I have ever had the displeasure of knowing!"

Leonidas' eyes widened and he simply said, "Yikes, really feeling the family love here ya guys."

Metatron laughed at the situation and then he said, "Well I for one am glad to see you Leo."

Leonidas smiled at Metatron and said, "I can always count on you little bro."

Another hologram appeared next to Leonidas. "Sorry I'm late! What did I miss?!" the new arrival exclaimed in a sort of squeaky voice. The hologram was of a boy who had a slender frame and long hair that was tied in a loose-fitting ponytail and reached his lower back. He appeared to be around eighteen and he looked very feminine; the boy also had several scars and bruises on his face and visible limbs. The only thing the boy wore was a plain kimono with an obi. The boy looked around him and saw that not all of the holograms had appeared yet, but the ones that had were all staring strangely at him. After realizing that he wasn't exactly late for the meeting, the boy chuckled slightly and rubbed the back of his head. "I guess I'm not late, huh? Sorry for my rude introduction," he said as he bowed to the other holograms.

Metatron laughed again and then he said, "Don't worry Konoko, Mickey, Gadreel, and the Twins are still MIA. You didn't miss a thing besides every member of our dysfunctional little family turning on each other with snide remarks."

The boy named Konoko stood up right again, and then he chuckled nervously again. "Well I guess nobody has anything snide to say to me then?" he asked.

The other holograms remained silent; a few of them looked like they wanted to say something but none of them would open their mouths. Then after a few moments of silence, Raphael scoffed and then he chuckled in an obnoxiously loud tone. After a few moments of laughter Raphael looked directly at Konoko and then he said in a smug voice, "No one has anything to say or wants to say anything, to an insignificant piece of trash like you. Konoko," he spat out his name. He crossed his arms and then glared at Konoko, "Your position on the Council was a courtesy extended by Brother Michael. If I had my say in the matter you would be regarded as what you are. A dirty little False Being," he said the last part with a smirk on his face.

Konoko frowned slightly and then he looked at the ground. "S-sorry, I was out of line," he mumbled.

"Don't apologize for anything Konoko!" Metatron suddenly exclaimed, getting all of the holograms attention. Metatron stood up from his seated position behind his desk and then glared at Raphael. "Raphe, Konoko is a member of the Council, therefore you are obligated to show him some damn respect!" he shouted.

"He's right, Raphael," a masculine voice said. Another hologram appeared next to Konoko, this hologram was a man who looked to be in his late twenties. He was a slightly buff looking guy who had a large jawline and hair that looked like it had an abundance of gel and product in it; he also had an X-shaped scar on his right cheek. The man wore a pair of jeans, a simple under shirt, a cargo vest, and pair of boots. He smirked at Raphael and continued to speak, "Konoko's an official member of the Council so we have to treat him as one of us. And that means all of you!" he exclaimed as he looked around at the other holograms. They looked away from his glance and seemed embarrassed. "I know what you're thinking; even if Konoko's filling his chair he can never replace Gab…"

"How dare you speak the name of that traitor!" Raphael shouted. "You Gadreel should be the one that's most peeved off, you and "him" were especially close! But you continue to blatantly state his name even after he abandoned us to frolic among the Mortals! He's a disgrace to everything we stand for, and to make matters worse he made us settle for this filthy False Being!"

"**Shut the hell up, Raphael!**" Gadreel shouted in a monstrous sounding voice which quickly caused Raphael to be quiet. The rest of the holograms in the room, and even Metatron, seemed to be surprised by the events. After a moment Gadreel calmed down and then he continued to speak in his usual voice. "I miss him," he said with a frown, "We all do, but he made his choice, and though I don't completely understand it I will support him in his endeavors. And as a replacement for him, we have a good kid with us, Konoko is a born Council member; he's intelligent, wise beyond his years, and courageous as hell. And Raphael if you want to insult him again…" Gadreel narrowed his eyes at Raphael, "I strongly suggest that you reconsider."

Raphael nodded and then he said, "I apologize for my disruptions."

Gadreel smiled and replied, "Good."

Metatron snickered at the occurrence. 'Nice job Gadreel, you were always good at stopping fights between me and Joshie too,' he thought to himself.

Another hologram appeared on the left side of the room, filling the last beam of light on the long walls and leaving only the one at the end open. "Did we…Miss anything?" a pair of voices asked. Two holograms replaced the beam of light, one was a boy and the other was a girl. They looked to be about thirteen, they were the same height, and they both wore a creepy looking smile on their faces; the boy had short hair that was covered by a baseball cap and the girl had hair that was made into twin tails. The boy wore a striped t-shirt, a pair of shorts, and a pair of sneakers; while the girl wore a matching striped t-shirt, a simple skirt, and a pair of tennis shoes. The two kids were holding hands with each other and they appeared like they didn't have a care in the world.

Metatron piped up, "What the hell is this? Some kind of horror cliché horror story? Seriously, every time you two come to the UG you choose the creepiest forms."

Uriel sighed and said, "I hate to agree with Meti. Trust me I really hate it, but you guys do seem a little…weird in your forms."

The kids looked to Uriel and asked, "What are you…Talking about?" (A/N: They talk in tandem and finish each other's sentences, classic twin cliché).

Uriel shook her head, "See it's that kind of stuff that makes people afraid of you."

"People fear us…And that's the way we like it," the kids replied. Then they giggled and their creepy smiles vanished; "Just kidding, you all should know very well that we…Are the Recorders of Mercy and Decisions, we only act like this…Because we like to see people's reactions."

Gadreel smiled at the two kids and simply said, "Tzadkiel, Tzaphkiel; I haven't seen you two in ages, it looks like this time you found some actual twins to take the forms of, eh?"

The boy named Tzadkiel nodded and said, "This form will…Give our strength an added boost," the girl named Tzaphkiel finished her brother's sentence. "When we are together…Nothing can stop us."

"It looks like everyone is here now," someone suddenly said. The last beam of light at the end of the room started to scatter and break apart until all that remained was a little ball of light. "Brothers and sisters, I would like to bid you welcome to the first meeting of the Council to be held in what I like to theatrically call the "Game to End All Games"," said a voice that sounded like it came from a voice filter on a computer program.

Metatron waved at the ball of light, "Hey Mickey, it's good to see you. But how come you didn't show up in your form like the others?"

"That is actually one of the things that I wanted to talk to you about little brother," the filtered voice replied. "But first of all, can anyone tell me where Joshua is?"

Raphael sighed and then he replied, "Unfortunately, before the Game started he disappeared, and we haven't been able to find him since."

Uriel laughed and said, "Your one job is to be the Guardian over things that can disrupt the Game, and you let one of the biggest disruptions run free. Brother Michael, I think you should consider replacing Raphael."

Raphael glared at Uriel, "Insolent little…"

"Raphael," Michael said, getting Raphael's attention. "Is it possible that Joshua has gone off to warn Sakuraba of what's to come?"

"It's definitely possible big bro," Leonidas butted in. "Joshua admitted that he liked Sakuraba as someone he could call a friend. If he still sees him as that way then all bets are off concerning the flow of the Game."

Michael remained silent for a moment and then he asked, "And what pre-tell is the condition of Sakuraba? Has he made any progress in the Game so far?"

Sophia cleared her throat and then she replied, "So far, Neku Sakuraba has formed a Team made up of him and three other Players named Madoka Amari, Kazuma Eturome, and Rinnosuke Maeda. They call themselves Team Hikari."

"Um, actually I would like to say something if I may about Rinnosuke Maeda," Konoko suddenly piped up, gaining everyone's attention.

"You have the floor Konoko," Michael replied.

Konoko nodded and then he resumed talking. "Thank you, I just have one simple request concerning Rinnosuke Maeda. May we please give him an Exit out of the Game?" he asked, getting a shocking reaction of gasps and bewildered expressions out of the others save for Metatron and Michael. "You see, he was a Mortal who accidentally stumbled upon a Player Pin, and due to the contract surrounding the Pin, when Rinnosuke picked it up he became a Legal/Illegal Player."

Uriel being curious asked, "Can something like that even happen? The Game is designed so that no Mortals are able to interfere, or even see the events of the Game."

"This Mortal was impure then," Raguel stated. "It has been discovered that some Mortals can see the Game's events, most of them however don't even know what they're seeing. There had to be something particularly impure about him to be able to see the Player Pin."

"Wait; hold on a second," Leonidas butted in. "Didn't Kitaniji make an RG version of the Player Pins last year? Couldn't it be possible that the same principle applies here as well?"

Sophia sighed in exhaustion and said, "Leonidas, you moron. The Reaper known as Megumi Kitaniji did make an RG version of the Player Pin, but it wasn't a Player Pin at all it was a Pin of his own design called an Oversoul Pin or O-Pin. This Pin was designed to take control of all people in the UG and RG, but before his plan could happen he was stopped by Neku Sakuraba…"

Orphiel interrupted Sophia, "We never did thank Nekuman for doing that did we? Maybe we should call off the Game and stop messing with him as a sign of our appreciation. Make love not war, man."

Raphael scoffed and replied, "We could have easily handled Kitaniji's Plan. Joshua wasn't going to let him take complete control of his Area anyway; it was just a simple bet between the two of them."

"Now that you mention it, I'm in favor of continuing on with Joshua's plan for destroying Shibuya. Just like he said it is a disdainful place that's reeking of impurity. As Composer of the Area closest to it, I would like to motion for my plan to cleanse Shibuya."

"Denied!" Michael shouted. "Shibuya is under the watch of Metatron, only he will decide what to do with it."

Metatron snickered, "And I say, Shibuya lives on for as long as it pisses Raguel off."

Raguel growled at Metatron.

"Um, Excuse me!" Konoko exclaimed, getting the others' attention. "I feel that we're getting a bit off topic here, I want to talk about Rinnosuke Maeda. He stumbled on the Pin by accident when he was still alive, therefore he should not be forced to enter the Game."

Raphael scoffed again, "If he found the Pin when he was alive that just means that he was an Illegal Player. And correct me if I'm wrong Konoko, but aren't you the one who begged him to enter the Game?"

Konoko raised his voice, "I had no choice! If I didn't get him to come into the Game he would have just stayed in "Game Over" forever."

"Yes I remember your request for Entrance for him exactly," Michael said, "And I accepted the request for a Penalty Play on the grounds that his Soul was taken." The others gasped at this statement save for Konoko and Raphael.

Raphael crossed his arms and stated flat out, "I only took half of his Soul."

Konoko raised his voice again, "It doesn't matter! You know what taking a Mortal's Soul can do! You've already done it before to that other Player!"

Raphael snickered and then he said, "If it makes you feel any better, I haven't done anything to either of them yet. I was saving them for a special occasion."

"Silence!" Michael's filtered voice filled the room in shock. "Because of the absence of half of his Soul, Rinnosuke Maeda has become hell bent on winning this Game, correct Konoko?"

Konoko nodded, "Because of that he's become like Raphael mixed with Raguel."

Leonidas faked a shiver, "Now there's a scary thought."

"He believes that the world is beyond saving and so he's going to obtain the wish and recreate it with his own vision," Konoko added.

"To go along with his Penalty Play I gifted him the Rare Breed "Data". Is that not enough to win the Game so he can reclaim his life and obtain the wish?" Michael asked.

"You don't understand," Konoko explained, "I saw him in the Mission today, now that he's lost his Soul he has become something truly frightening. I'm worried that the longer he stays in the Game, the more frightening he will become."

Michael remained silent for a moment and then he said, "I know that it may seem that way, but when his Soul is complete once more he will be the same person that he was before. The Game held in Shibuya last year was an exception, but you know how winning the Game really works. Sophia?"

Sophia cleared her throat again and then she said, "As clearly stated in the Reaper's Game Handbook: Article Twenty-Three, Section Thirteen. _"The one Player who manages to conquer the Game is rewarded their life back, also their memory of the events that transpired in the Game is completely Erased, making the whole experience of death nothing more than a bad dream."_ "

"Precisely," Michael replied, "We cannot show favoritism among the Players, Rinnosuke Maeda has as much chance as any to win the Game. Therefore Konoko, your request is denied. However, the matter of his Entry Fee is something that we can't dismiss. Raphael, why would you take Maeda's Soul as his Entry Fee? Even it's only half that is still far too much of a price to pay for a simple admission into the Game."

Raphael scoffed again and replied, "Article Twenty-Three, Section Ten. _"To pay for admittance into the Game, the Player must offer something that he or she values above all else, their forenamed "Entry Fee" must be something that they would fight with all of their strength in order to get back. If the aforementioned Player is Erased during the events of the Game, their "Entry Fee" will not be returned to them and instead will be kept by the Composer in charge."_ Raphael stared blankly at the ball of light, "Sophia's not the only one who has the rulebook memorized, and nowhere in that book does it say any specification of an "Entry Fee". It just has to be something precious to the Player."

Metatron shook his head and then he replied, "That kind of twisted logic, you're starting to sound a lot like Lucy, Raphe."

When Metatron made his statement, the room fell silent for a few moments. Until Michael said, "I think that's it time I tell you all something. Threre's more to this Reaper's Game than there appears to be. Starting the "Game to End All Games" under the pretext of Joshua's loss to Sakuraba was merely a formality."

Hardly anyone was shocked, save for Leonidas, Konoko, and the Twins. "A formality? Then what is…The real reason we're holding this unique Game?" the Tza Twins asked.

Michael remained silent for a moment and then he said, "I see, some of you have already guessed that the cover story was fake to begin with."

"Wasting time on a mere Mortal, when death is soon to come to him. This was the biggest clue," Samael replied.

"Even if the cause is to Erase an impurity, risking everything on one simple impurity seems very idiotic. This is highly unlike you," Raguel added.

"I respect you a lot, but I hardly ever believe a word you say," Raphael replied.

"Hey don't leave us in suspense; what the hell are we holding the Game for then?" Leonidas asked.

Michael stayed silent for another moment and then he said, "I found him. After all this time I have found the Creator." Michael's response got a shocking reaction from everyone in the room.

"D-dad's back," Orphiel mumbled.

"No way!" Uriel and Sophia exclaimed in unison.

"The Master… Is here?" the Twins asked in shock.

Raguel smiled, "The purest of all beings."

"Are you for real?" Gadreel asked as his eyes became really wide.

"Death brings great light in the world," Samael said.

"The old man's still kicking!" Leonidas exclaimed in glee.

Raphael smirked, "I knew this day would come."

The only ones who didn't seem excited were Metatron and Konoko. They simply smiled to keep up with appearances.

"Now you all can understand the reason why I wasn't able to show up to the meeting in person. The Creator is somewhere in the UG and I intend to search for him. The "Day of Oblivion and Wonder" is coming faster than we expected, but for it to happen all of us will need to be here. All fourteen members of the old Council must be present. Joshua is hiding somewhere in the UG, along with creating your Missions I want you to keep an eye out for him. But don't worry about the other two, I can sense their presences. They'll be here when the time is right. Now then, I pronounce this meeting concluded. We will reconvene next week, same time. Good luck with the Game!" Then the ball of light disappeared, and for a moment everything in the room was silent.

"If you will all excuse me, I must now retire to my City of Purity," Raguel said and then his hologram disappeared.

"I better get going too, when I'm gone the love seems kind of empty and hollow in my Area," said Orphiel and this hologram disappeared.

"I shall now lurk back it to my deep dark slumber," Samael said as his hologram disappeared.

"Later guys!" Leonidas exclaimed as his hologram vanished.

Gadreel chuckled and said, "Dad's coming back, and so is Gabe. This is great!" he exclaimed as his hologram disappeared.

"I must leave too," Sophia said, "My children worry about me if I'm gone too long." She disappeared as well.

"See you…Later." Then the Twins disappeared.

"Chao!" Uriel exclaimed with a wide smile and then she frowned when she turned to Metatron, "And Meti don't forget, it's your turn to make up the Mission tomorrow." Then she disappeared.

Raphael smirked at Metatron and Konoko, "Till next time." Then he disappeared, making the only ones left in the room Konoko and Metatron.

There was silence between the two of them for a couple of moments, and then finally Metatron spoke up. "Hey Konoko, you know where Joshie is, don'tcha ya?" he asked.

Konoko frowned slightly and then he slowly nodded, "He asked to me to keep it a secret. I only agreed to go along with it because he said he might be able to fix this mess."

Metatron frowned and then he replied, "Before he left, Gabe told you what kind of power the Council really had, didn't he?"

Konoko slowly nodded again and then he gulped slightly. His frown deepened and he began to cry a little. "If…if the Creator comes back, will it be a repeat of what happened last time?"

"We refer to it as the "Day of Amusement", and the "Day of Oblivion and Wonder" is supposed to be at least ten times bigger than that."

Konoko's mouth hung agape and then he shook his head slowly and said to himself, "Everyone's going to die."

Metatron shook his head and then he said, "Not if Joshie really can fix it." He managed to get Konoko to calm down a little. "He and Neku, they share a certain bond, a bond that's deeper than friendship or brotherhood. Even if they're not entirely aware of it, together they can do extraordinary things."

"How can you be so sure of that?" Konoko asked.

Metatron kicked his feet up onto his desk and then he pointed to the chalkboards in the back of the room. Konoko followed Metatron's finger and saw the complex equation written on the boards. "I've ran the numbers, even with gaining more strength and bonds with other Players, they've got a 0.000000000001% chance of preventing the "Day of Oblivion and Wonder"."

Konoko was confused, "If their chance of victory is that low, then why aren't you worried?" he asked.

Metatron shrugged his shoulders and replied, "Knowledge is an ironic thing with me. I've got all the knowledge that one person can gather in several lifetimes, but I hardly ever use any of it. I just trust my gut, and right now my gut's telling me that those two will somehow manage to prevent a travesty. The only question left to answer now, is how?"

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><p>AN: I hope you all like the characters that I created, but the only Composer you truly know for now is the Composer of Shibuya, Metatron. You'll see what Areas the other Composers rule in due time. and **Natsuno Circus** thanks again for sending me Konoko, he's going to be a great addition to the story. To quote Raphael, "Till next time."


	15. Chapter 15

A/N: Riddle me this? "It contains a broody emo, a fashion fanatic stalker, a skater punk that uses terrible grammar, a zealous and kind girl that speaks in sayings, and an E.T. who thinks the same way as the emo if not more so. It contains a valuable message that everyone should follow, and the story it gives is absolutely wonderful. People love it, and there have been many fanfics written on it. What is it that I'm thinking of?" If you don't know the answer then why are even here? Sorry about that, I'm just in a riddleish mood today. Here's a little fun fact about me, I love puzzles! All kinds! Brain teasers, riddles, Sudoku, jigsaw puzzles, puzzle boxes, and any game that's challenging enough to make your brain ache. So it's no surprise that one of the Composers in my story is a Puzzle Master; Metatron the Higher Being, the new Composer of Shibuya. It's Puzzle Time!

Disclaimer: I do not own the World Ends with You, or any of the puzzles and riddles that you hear about and read about in this chapter.

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><p><strong>Chapter Fifteen: Week 1, Day 3-Head Games<strong>

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><p><strong>Neku's POV-<strong>

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><p><em>Inside an abandoned building. Udagawa, Shibuya -August 4, 2009, 2:00 P.M. (August 4, 2009, 12:00 A.M. EST). <em>

Things were hectic yesterday; we barely managed to finish the Mission before time ran out on us. But in order to do so, we had to face some questionable characters. Shitsuren, one of the Teams that have already been formed amongst the Players. To think that there are already Teams made out there. There's four members total for Shitsuren; Ian Crowesby, a wannabe rock n' roller who uses Psyches that control gravity, Pyros, a former arsonist who ironically uses fire element Psyches, Alexandra Joy, a little girl with Psyches that create things from her imagination, and Shatter, the leader of Team Shitsuren and the holder of what's known as a Rare Breed of Psych called "Cut" which apparently makes her loony during each use. We fought them, though my fight was the only one that seemed intense. Madoka and Kazuma were able to easily beat them, but my fight with Shatter was something different. During my fight I managed to get a few glances at the other's battles, even though their Psyches seemed powerful, it looked like they were just playing with us. Kazuma and Ian got into a fight about nicknames for cryin' out loud, and Madoka got into an argument with Joy about Pokémon, I'm not making this up, those things actually happened. I may have been out of practice, but I remember everything about those life and death situations that I got sucked into in the previous Game. One of the things Reapers loved to do the most was mess with Players and give them a false sense of security after fighting them by holding back their full strength. This apparently makes it easy for them to Erase Players later on. I can tell when someone's holding back, and those guys definitely were.

However, Shatter seemed to be serious with trying to kill me, heck if I didn't have "Phoenix Glow" I don't think I would have made it out of there alive. She was the one that was holding back the most though. Actually, I felt like I was nothing more than a doll to her, a doll that she had grown tired of and was ready to throw away like trash. Something about her just set me on edge. I wonder if that was how the other Players that she killed felt. One thing is for sure, those guys are in a whole different league than us. The thing that Shatter said kept bugging me too. '_"You know how long I've been here Sakuraba? Almost a whole fuckin' year!"_' those words had repeated in my head over and over again this whole time. I couldn't help but wonder, was she really telling the truth about her being in the UG that long? Her problem made me think about the other Players in the Game, were they also in the same boat as Shatter?

The four of us woke up at about eight o' clock here in Udagawa; then we waited around a little while for the Mission to come, but no such luck. Madoka said that she was tired, I couldn't blame her, two days had only gone by and I was exhausted as hell too. Kazuma found an empty building for the four of us to squat in, although to any other Mortal it would be just be me squatting there. Afterwards Kazuma and Madoka took a well-deserved nap, my "elder" somehow managed to fall asleep against a rusted steel support beam, and Madoka managed to find an old cot that looked to be in pretty good condition. I sat down next to Madoka on the cot and then she rested her head in my lap and closed her eyes. The only two people who didn't rest were me and Rin. I wanted to sleep but I just couldn't, I was too jumpy with anticipation so I just mindlessly checked my mobile for any new messages or apps every couple of minutes, while Rin simply stood against one of the walls and didn't budge an inch from that position the whole time.

After a little while, I got bored with my mobile and decided to check on my Teammates. Madoka was still asleep in my lap and every now and then I could hear some quiet breathing from her, I remember when Shiki used to fall asleep like that too, they were both really cute in that act. Meanwhile, Kazuma's sleep habits were annoying to say the least, he snored like a wildebeest and every couple of minutes or so he would mumble things loudly in his sleep. Seriously, how was that guy older than me? Then my attention turned to Rin, he was doing what he had been doing for the last couple of hours, he didn't move at all and it was starting to get really creepy. 'I know that I only met him yesterday, but still, something about him just doesn't sit right with me,' that thought kept me preoccupied. I stared at him for at least five minutes and then he finally looked up at me and my gaze met his gaze after that I quickly looked away from him and shifted my focus back to my mobile. My thoughts shifted to yesterday, and I remembered that what Rin had said to me when were alone struck a chord in my very core.

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><p><strong>Flashback:<strong>

_Backstreets of Manga Street, Akihabara-August 3, 2009, 12:25 P.M. (August 2, 2009, 10:25 P.M. EST). Thirty-five minutes remaining in the Mission._

Rin had formally introduced himself to us, he said that he grew up on the streets and he had no relatives to speak of, and that was the reason why he only had one name. He only wanted to win back his life so he could see his friends again, but he also told us that he didn't think he would be able to do it because he didn't have any Psyches that could help in battle. The only Psych he had was a Psych that was used to get information; he demonstrated it to each of us by telling us things that only we knew. At first me and Kazuma were unsure about allowing him to join us after we had just gone through the recent "Keisuke Incident", but Madoka seemed entirely convinced that there was no problem with Rin joining our Team. Afterwards, he told us about Shitsuren and how they had Erased one of his friends, and they became in possession of the manga for the Mission that he and his friend had found. He told us about each one of the members' abilities and then he formulated a plan based on the information. In Kazuma's book, Rin's resourcefulness proved that he could be one of us. But I still had my doubts, for me trusting people was really hard.

After the plan was formed, me and Madoka formed a Pact with Rin and Kazuma, who also wasn't an official member of our Team yet. Then I got a new message on my mobile.

_You have gained a total of four members for your Team. Congratulations! You're now at the half-way mark. What would you like your Team name to be?_

"Team name?" I was confused at the question.

"I guess it's like Shitsuren, when they gained four members they picked that as their name," Kazuma replied.

"So, we can have a name too?" Madoka asked.

"Oh, I've got the perfect name for us!" Kazuma exclaimed. "Stay with me now, we are "Zero Akuma and the Akumettes"!" He presented his name in such a showy manner it made me think that he had a spotlight over his head.

"No," Madoka and I said in unison. Then Kazuma digressed into his depressed pouting form as he squatted down and turned to face the wall of the alley.

While that was going on, Rin seemed to be thinking to himself and then he suddenly asked, "How about, Hikari?"

"Hikari?" I replied in confusion.

Rin smiled at me and said, "I'm grateful to you three for placing someone as useless as me on your Team, I don't think I would have gotten very far in the Game on my own. I know it may sound a bit cliché, but that makes me think of you guys as my saving grace. Hikari, light, it seems like the prefect name for that kind of Team." Then he chuckled nervously and rubbed the back of his head, "But now that I say it out loud, I guess it does seem kind of stupid."

Madoka smiled and said, "I like that name, it sounds pretty."

Kazuma recovered quickly and added, "Well it's nowhere near as cool as my name but it does sound pretty badass. I second the name."

I smiled at the three of them and said, "I guess it's unanimous." I typed in our Team name into the little box under the message's question and then clicked 'Enter'. Then a confirmation message was sent.

_Very well. Good luck in the Game, Team Hikari._

"Alright, now let's go get that manga back," I said.

Kazuma pumped his fists in the air and then ran off in the direction of the shipping district while shouting, "Yeah! We're going to kick some Shitsuren ass!" Madoka followed behind him, leaving only me and Rin in the back alley. I was about to turn and run after the two of them, until I felt something grab onto my arm. I turned around and saw that Rin was the one who grabbed my arm.

Rin smiled at me with half-closed eyes and then he simply said, "You don't have to worry so much about the Missions Neku, you're not gonna remain here that long anyway."

My eyes widened at his statement and I went silent.

Rin chuckled and then he explained his statement, "I mean you're going to eventually go back to your world, right?"

I loosened his grip on my arm and then I mumbled, "How…how did you…?"

"Did you forget already?" Rin cut me off. "My Psych lets me see information on everyone and everything. And because of that, I know all about your situation, and I know a way that you can escape from the Game and go back to your own world. And no need to worry man, I'll take good care of Madoka and Kazuma when you're gone, and I'll also take good care of this world in your stead. After all, why should you be concerned about it? This isn't your world." Then Rin ran off after the others, "Relax Neku, you'll be reunited with Shiki, Beat, and all your real friends in no time," he said to me as he ran off in a state of glee.

I stood in place for a few moments while the depth of what had just happened sunk into me. Afterwards, I buried my thoughts and questions and followed my three Teammates to the shipping district.

**Flashback End**

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><p>After a minute or two I looked up from my mobile to see if Rin was still looking at me. He was. Not only that but his eyes were glued firmly on me, he smiled at me. It was a smile that made me actually miss the loony smiles that Shatter gave me. It sunk into me at that point; I had made another bad judgment of character and I had gotten Madoka and Kazuma involved. 'This is worse than when I made a Pact with Josh. Rin, he's about ten times the untrustworthy person Josh was. What he said to me yesterday. He knew all about me because of his Psych, but still, he's not surprised by any of it? I mean even I don't get half of what's going on. Rin, just who the hell is he, and why does he think that I'm going to bail on all of them?' Then my eyes widened in fright, 'Does he know about "that" too?' I asked myself. Then finally I was given a saving grace when I felt my phone vibrate, and heard the other three's phones go off as well. I checked the newest message.<p>

_Head to the Mural Wall at the Udagawa Staircase. You'll find a clue of my location and where I want to meet. Don't keep me waiting. Time limit's sixty minutes. Fail and face Erasure. –Shibuya's Composer_

I felt the pain of the Timer, burning into my right palm; and then I heard the others cringe in pain as well, except for Kazuma who was still fast asleep. After the Timer had been set, I quickly read over the message again because something stuck out at me. Then I saw it again. My eyes went wide at the message. 'Shibuya's Composer?' I was beyond confused, 'Wait a second, there's supposed to be ten Areas in this Game. Then that means…' a terrible thought occurred to me, "There are ten Composers?" I said in shock. Then I heard Madoka stir in her sleep, and after a moment she opened her eyes and sat up on the cot. Now hearing her message ringtone, she pulled out her cellphone and then opened the message and read it while she had a look on her face that said she was still half-asleep. I turned my attention back to Rin; he had pulled out his phone and was reading over the message as well. The only person that was still asleep was Kazuma, who was still snoring his head off. I cupped my hands over my mouth and shouted, "Kazuma! It's time to wake up!"

All he did was turn away from me while he loudly mumbled in his sleep, "Yes Hana-chan, I will have a…second order of fries. And…don't forget to add the magic."

I gave his back a look of embarrassment as I slightly shook my head. "How the hell can he still dream with me shouting his name and his terrible music blasting in his ears?" I asked myself.

Rin waved me off as he walked up to Kazuma's sleep form, he said, "I got this." Rin knelt down next to Kazuma and whispered something in his ear. I couldn't make out what he said, but after a split second Kazuma's eyes forced opened and he sat right up.

"I'm up! I'm up! Please mom, not the cold water!" Kazuma exclaimed with a scared look on his face.

I stared strangely at Rin, and when he noticed me he replied, "When he was little, his mom would have to throw a bucket of ice water on him to get him to wake up in the mornings. Having a lot of information and no physical power can be useful from time to time," he said with a smile.

I couldn't help but laugh at Rin's remark, and then I smiled at the sight of him getting chewed out by Kazuma. 'Even if he did know all about my problem, it's just his Psych. Maybe I should give him a little BOTD. I'm sure he doesn't mean to be creepy,' I thought to myself.

Kazuma stood up off the ground and then finally checked his message, ending his terrible ringtone at last. After a moment Kazuma looked back to Rin and asked, "Even if there's a Mission, couldn't you have waited five more minutes? I was having a dream about my fav Maid Café." He gained a weird grin and continued to speak, "The waitresses there are so hot, and the fries are delicious." Then he frowned and faked a sob face, "And because we had to find that stupid manga yesterday, we couldn't go."

Rin sweat dropped, "Um, sorry?"

I got off of the cot and Madoka did the same, and then we walked up to Kazuma and Rin. "Alright, enough R and R, let's head to the backstreets," I said as I motioned for all three of them to follow me.

Kazuma's speed allowed him to run ahead of me, "I don't know the way there, but I'll find some way to beat you guys to the mural. 'Later!" he exclaimed as he ran out of the building and out of sight. That left me, Madoka, and Rin to head to the mural at regular speed.

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><p><em>Udagawa Staircase. Udagawa, Shibuya -August 4, 2009, 2:10 P.M. (August 4, 2009, 12:10 A.M. EST). Fifty-five minutes remaining in the Mission. <em>

At least the layout of Shibuya hadn't changed; I knew all the shortcuts to get to the Staircase. Remember, I used to hang out there a lot when I was going through my "emo phase"; at least that's what Rhyme always called it. I actually hadn't been back there since that day the four of us met up in the RG for the first time, and to think staring at that mural for hours on end used to be my favorite thing to do. It actually used to be the only thing that I liked about Shibuya. It was mostly because of CAT. I always loved art, especially street art, I liked trying to figure out the artists' hidden messages in each of their work, but CAT was different. CAT's art was amazing, his message "do what you want when you want to do it", inspired me to broaden my horizons. The only problem was I forgot that I wanted to do that at some point along the road. CAT made me think I could be something that I was sure I couldn't be. 'Mr. H, are you different too?' I wondered. If a different Josh was here, then a different Mr. H could be in this world too, but would I want to see his form in this world? That was the one question I couldn't answer.

It only took us about five minutes to get to the Udagawa Staircase. But Madoka had some trouble climbing up the stairs, with her still being half-asleep, so I gave her a lift on my back again and she happily accepted. She was seriously starting to be clingy. Me, Madoka, and Rin slowly walked up the Staircase and soon we reached the top, allowing me to get a clear picture of the mural. Things had changed, CAT's art was gone. Back in my world, CAT's mural stuck around after Josh, Mr. H, and the WildKat café disappeared without a trace. I thought it was kind of weird that it didn't disappear also, but at the same time I was grateful that it stayed put. I thought of it as a reminder to me about the lessons I learned during those three weeks of hell, but now that reminder was gone and in its place was the art of several unfamiliar artists.

There were several big words and phrases, and a couple of profanities that I hoped Madoka didn't see. There were some pictures of animals, a couple youkai depictions, and some general stuff that you would expect to see as street art like flaming skulls and some other popular symbols. Not a trace of CAT's work was left. Rin observed the mural as well and then he suddenly asked me and Madoka, "Well I've figured it out, how about you guys?"

I looked at him strangely, "What?"

"The clue to the Composer's location," Rin explained, "Did you figure it out?"

I looked back at the mural and mouthed, 'What the fuck?'

Rin walked up directly to the wall and then he pointed at a picture of a heart with angel wings and a halo. "Leonidas said in his video message that his kind is what we as religious believers would call Angels, right?" he asked me.

"You mean the Oni-san in that video that Neku-san got the other day?" Madoka asked and then she giggled, "He was funny."

I was still confused but I replied to Rin's question, "Yeah, I do remember him saying that."

Rin pointed to the left angel wing, "Look closely."

I squinted and I saw what Rin was talking about, there were tiny words written on the top of the wing in the long bone. "_Greetings Players, my name is Metatron_," I read the words aloud. "_The Reaper's Game has a lot of fun minigames, and this challenge is one of my own design_._ It's called the "City of Riddles"; there are four puzzles and riddles you must solve in order to find me. The first one is here on the mural, the other three are scattered about Shibuya_. " The words continued on the next wing, "_Each puzzle is connected, and solving one will give you the location of another. The last one will tell you where I am. To clear this Mission is very simple; all you have to do is meet me at a secret location. I'll be waiting_." Then I looked to Rin and asked, "So we've got to solve some puzzles?"

"Sounds like fun," Madoka said.

Rin nodded, "Puzzles are really fun. I played them a lot when I was still alive. Not to brag but I'm kind of a champ at solving them."

I snickered and replied, "Well Mr. Puzzle Champ, have you solved this one?"

Rin scoffed and said, "The first one is always easy, we basically solved it by finding Metatron's hidden message." He pointed towards the midline of the mural wall, "Do you recognize anybody on the signature list?"

I looked down to where Rin was pointing and saw the names of all the people who contributed to the mural. I scanned each name carefully to see if anyone stuck out, and then finally I saw a familiar name. "Keisuke Sakagaki!" I exclaimed.

"Keisuke-san?!" Madoka exclaimed in surprise.

Rin nodded and said, "I know all about what went down two days ago, check the name next to his."

I did as Rin asked and then I looked left of Keisuke's name and saw another familiar name, "Jordan Ishida."

Rin nodded again, "And the next one."

"Mars Emilia de Scarletrosé? I don't remember that one."

Madoka piped up, "Neku-san? Didn't Keisuke-san say something about a person named Mars making the Noise and hiding his wings?"

My eyes widened with insight, "Oh yeah, he did. But wait those three; well two of them at least, are Reapers." I gasped, "Don't tell me." Rin pointed to the top of the mural wall and I saw the title of the whole mural.

_Reapers Own this City, Get Used to It_

Then Rin motioned to all of the names on the signature list. "These are the names of all the Reapers involved in the Game," he said. Then he motioned to the area above the signature list which was occupied by ten words.

_Shibuya, Shinjuku, Minato, Akihabara, Ginza, Odaiba, Ikebukuro, Ueno, Nakameguro, Yokohama_

Rin patted the wall and then he explained all the information, "Each city is allowed three Harrier Reapers, at least that's what my Psych says." Then he motioned to three lines that ran off of '_Shibuya_', the lines connected with the three familiar names on the signature list. Then Rin continued his explanation, "The two Reapers you encountered, plus the one you only know by name, all work for Shibuya's Composer. This information isn't really important to know for this Mission since I'm sure those three will be at the other puzzle locations, but I just wanted to mention it because clearly Metatron is giving us this hint for our own benefit later on in the Game. That's the cool thing about puzzles; sometimes you get an extra hint that can help you out later on by noticing things that are…"

I cut him off, "Rin! What's the real clue?"

"Right, right, sorry about that. I got a little off topic. I'll get back to the important thing now," he replied. Then Rin pointed to the angel heart again, "Now look very closely at the outline of the heart."

I did as I was told and then I found that there were more words in the picture that went around the heart's outline. I craned my neck slightly to read the words. "_If you break me, I'll not stop you can touch me, my work is done. If you lose me, you must find me with a ring soon am I?_"

Rin chuckled and said, "Like I said, first one's always the easiest. The answer's obviously the heart. But maybe you can help me out with the next part because I'm not that familiar with Shibuya. What's a place here that's famous for something to do with the heart? Maybe it means something to do with love. Do you have any ideas Neku, Madoka?"

I thought to myself for a moment and then I it hit me like a brick. "The Phone Booth of love!" I exclaimed. "Follow me, I know where it is!" I hopped down the steps with Madoka on my back while we were followed closely by Rin. "You're really smart man. You're going to fit in great on our Team," I said to Rin while we ran down the Udagawa Staircase.

"Yeah Rin-san, you really are the Puzzle Champ," Madoka said as she smiled at Rin.

Rin smiled back at us and then he chuckled nervously, "Aw shucks, you guys are going to make me blush."

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><p><em>Molco-August 4, 2009, 2:20 P.M. (August 4, 2009, 12:20 A.M. EST). Forty-five minutes remaining in the Mission. <em>

We high-tailed it over to Molco as fast as we could. I don't think Madoka and Rin could deal with my speed though. Madoka was flopping like a rag doll, desperately trying to hold onto my back as the grip of her arms increased around my neck. Rin was kind of stumbling behind us, and every now and then he would stop abruptly and pant; he may have been smart but he wasn't that athletic. When we neared the corner of Molco, where the Phone Booth of Love was located, he called out to me in a wheezing kind of way, "N-Neku! Remember what I t-told you yesterday?!" I stopped in my tracks as I came up to the familiar phone booth. Rin collapsed in a huff behind me, and then he panted, "Go easy on the Missions, man. Remember…there are tons of other Players." Then he pointed at my back, "And I think…Madoka has gotten motion sickness."

I looked over my shoulder and saw that Madoka had turned slightly pale and her eyes seemed kind of dim and unfocused, she looked she was going to hurl. I chuckled nervously and then I rubbed the back of my head, "Sorry, guess I've just got spare adrenaline to burn." I squatted down to the ground and allowed Madoka to get off of me; she immediately collapsed to the ground below and she looked like she was seeing stars. I knelt down over her and asked out of concern, "Hey squirt, you okay?"

Madoka mumbled in-between breaths, "I'm…all…right."

Rin regained his breath and then he crawled over to Madoka. He waved me off again, "I'll help her out, you go check out the phone booth." Then he pulled off Madoka's hat and jacket so she could cool off and regain her consciousness. Then he began to use his hand to fan her, and he said to me, "But in the future go easy on us, we're dead you know. You've got as much energy as Kazuma. Speaking of which, he never showed up at the mural. Do you think he's all right?"

I nodded, "I'm sure he's fine, if we don't meet up with him at some point, we can just finish the Mission and the next day will sta…" I was interrupted by a sudden ringing sound. I walked closer to the phone booth and I saw that the phone inside was ringing. I turned back to Rin and I was going to ask him if I should answer it, but before I could he nodded as if he already knew what I was going to say. I pulled back the sliding door of the phone booth and then I walked inside and picked the phone up off the ringer. I said into the mouth piece, "Hello?" and then I brought it up to my ear and heard a reply.

_Answer me, young Player. What dost thou seek from Legend's Love Transponder?_

The voice sounded kind of feminine, but it also had a sort of demanding tone. And I had no idea what the hell this person was saying. "What?" I replied to the voice.

_Art thou soft of hearing? Tell me, dost thou seek to court his concubine? Or dost thou seek something more?_

I replied again, "What?"

_Thou art trying my patience. I shall ask again. What dost thou seek? Love? Riches? Power? Or the next chapter of thy quest?_

I raised my eyebrow slightly, "The last one, I guess."

_Then look to the heavens and thou shalt receive thy desire. So says Mars Emilia de Scarletrosé!_

Then the other line went off and all that was left was the dial tone. I put the phone back on the hook and then I walked out of the phone booth.

Rin asked, "Well? Who was it? What did they say?"

I shook my head and replied, "I honestly have no idea."

"Young Players! By answering the first riddle, thou hast proved themselves worthy to participate in the "City of Riddles" challenge! Now I, the champion of the House of Scarletrosé shall test thy merit!" a female voice started shouting. I looked all around me to find the source of the voice but I saw no sight of who was shouting at us.

Then Rin shook my shoulder to grab my attention, and then he said while pointing upward, "Look up there."

I did as told, and then I saw the outline of a figure on top of one of the rooftops in front of us. The figure was cascaded by the sun, so I could only make out his silhouette, but that was more than enough for me to tell that the figure was definitely the one shouting at us. How to describe it? Does anybody know about LARP? You know, Live Action Role Play; where nerds and other people who like stuff like fantasy games and other things dress up like different characters in real life, and then fight and stuff. Rhyme told me about it one time, she said that it was actually supposed to be pretty fun, but I didn't buy it because Rhyme was into a lot weird stuff. Anyway, this guy looked like a LARPer, he wore a cape that billowed in the wind behind him, what appeared to be armor, and…this was probably the weirdest thing of all…he had a large sword slung over his right shoulder. All of a sudden the figure started to move closer to us, until he jumped off of the rooftop and then landed on the ground right in front of us while crouching down like he was kneeling. He looked up at us and that's when I saw that he wasn't a "he". This person was a girl who had short blonde hair that was tied into two side ponytails by gold colored hairbands and was partially messy; she had a pale complexion, a sort of heart shaped jawline, and a pair of violet colored eyes. The LARPer girl wore silver colored full body armor that perfectly fit her slim bodyline and looked actually real, she also wore a pair of red gloves on either hand that matched her red and black cape she wore behind her, a small tiara on her head that had rubies as gems and also appeared to be real, and a pair of matching ruby earrings. The craziest thing about her was that big sword I mentioned, it had a long red handle that had a skull decal on it and a large saber that seemed to shine with luster and gleam.

The LARPer girl stood up on her feet and smiled at us, and then she said, "Welcome to Mars' world." Then she threw her cape up in the air and allowed the wind to catch it, making it billow again. That's when I noticed the pair of black skeletal wings behind her cape. We had just come face to face with a LARPer Reaper.

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><p>AN: The first part of this chapter was a lot longer than I predicted it would be, and that's why I didn't make the whole Mission in one chapter like I was planning to do. Anyway, Day 3 will be concluded in the next chapter. This is **Tomorrow is Sorrow**, reminding you all to please keep the story popular by reading, reviewing, favoriting, and following.


	16. Chapter 16

A/N: Four more chapters to go till the option to have your own OCs in this story is gone. Tick tock, I know there are some more of you out there who read this story besides those of you who have already reviewed, favorited, or are currently following TWIFWU. Don't be Anonymous Andies, reveal yourselves to me. And to those of you, who are following TWIFWU, get a move on; you have to have at least one OC that you would like me to put in the story, right? Remember, all ideas are accepted. Four of you have already helped me out a lot and I'm really grateful to you guys; you know who you are. Also hardly anybody's responded about wanting to make a Team, I actually thought that would get things going, but so far I've only gotten one new Team leader, which makes a total of four Teams, counting the three I already made; remember how I said I wanted to make at least twelve, well now there are eight spots left. First come first serve. I could actually make all the characters myself but I figured that a fanfic that incorporates other people's ideas would be the best thing to make because I would like to get to know you guys better, and nothing gets a spark going better than sharing creativity. I know I'm not the only one out there who is crazy for TWEWY, so fellow game nerds show me your dedication to fandom!

Also, I've had second thoughts and had my plan for the story restructured. Day 3 will end either next chapter or the chapter after that. **Warning: **Major Neku bashing in this chapter, also a small fight between Joshua and Neku.

Disclaimer: Don't own the World Ends with You.

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><p><strong>Chapter Sixteen: Week 1, Day 3-Old Friend<strong>

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><p><strong>Neku's POV-<strong>

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><p><em>Molco-August 4, 2009, 2:23 P.M. (August 4, 2009, 12:23 A.M. EST). Forty-two minutes remaining in the Mission. <em>

The LARPer girl stood up on her feet and smiled at us, and then she said, "Welcome to Mars' world." Then she threw her cape up in the air and allowed the wind to catch it, making it billow again. That's when I noticed the pair of black skeletal wings behind her cape. A LARPer Reaper? They just kept getting weirder and weirder. The Reaper brought her sword down from her shoulder and then let it hang by her side. I couldn't take my eyes off her sword and I didn't have to turn to my right to know that Rin's eyes were glued to the same thing. Forget about using Psyches to Erase us, if the Reaper simply swung her sword she could have chopped us in half. The Reaper giggled and then she said, "Fret not; thou shall not be slain by me. My saber is meant only for the forces of darkness, tis the House of Scarletrosé's noble code."

I gave the Reaper a strange look, "Noble code? Since when do Reapers care about being noble?"

The Reaper sighed and then replied, "My name is Mars Emilia de Scarletrosé. A thousand years ago, war raged and brought ruin upon my home world of Lyricalite. I was born into a warclad fate; twas naught any sort of life for me but to become a noble warrior and reclaim her deserved freedom. My people and I fought valiantly, but tragically before our wishes of freedom could come to pass, I was slain in battle. It wasn't until present time that I was reincarnated into the life of another girl. It took me a few years but I finally remembered who I was, and now I will not stop until I find my way back to Lyricalite and save my people from injustice!" she exclaimed.

I knew at that point me and Rin had a look on our faces that said 'What the fuck?'.

The Reaper named Mars pulled back her sword and then she placed it into a scabbard which was on her back and was partially concealed by her cape. "Unlike most Reapers, I do not take merry in hurting innocent people. Even if those people are simply ghosts, only those with hearts that have been touched by darkness shall feel the sting of my saber. Tis my one rule of nobility."

I crouched down to Rin's level and then I whispered to him while not taking my eyes off of Mars, "Didn't she already say that?"

Rin whispered back to me while he did the same thing, "She used different words, but yeah she basically said the same thing twice."

Mars chattered on with her life story and paid no attention me and Rin's conversation. "I thought she was LARPer at first, but now? Do you think that she really is some ancient Reaper from another world?" I asked in my whispering tone.

Rin shook his head and replied in his whispering tone, "Reapers continue to age even after they die, Angels are the only ones who don't age. Here let me check and see what information I can find on her."

After a few moments I asked, "Got anything yet?"

Rin nodded, "Her real name is Hitomi Ayukana. She's nineteen years old."

"What?" I asked in a surprised tone, "Then what was all that crap about her being a knight or whatever? Is she a cosplayer or does she LARP like I thought?"

Rin shook his head again, "She's never gone by her real name at all; she only uses the name "Mars Emilia de Scarletrosé". She actually thinks that she's this fictional persona, her Record says that she even thought that way before she died."

"So what? Does she have Asperger's or some shit?"

"Some shit. Her Record says that she suffers from "Chuunibyou"," Rin replied.

"Chuunibyou?" I asked in surprise, "Middle School 2nd Year Syndrome? I thought that was just a make-believe disease."

"Actually some doctors theorize that Chuunibyou can be a form of Asperger's that's created by the mind itself when a person hits adolescence due to an increase of dopamine and other neurological chemicals. A lot of kids go through Chuunibyou, I know I did at one point. I would lie my ass off. Didn't you go through it too, Neku?"

I shook my head, "Not that I can remember."

"Well in any case, Hitomi is entirely convinced that she is "Mars" so it's best to play along and pretend that she is who she says she is, people with Chuunibyou can be very unpredictable. For some reason my information about her Psyches won't come up, I guess I have to see them first in order to know what they are."

I nodded and then I got back up on my feet and whispered to Rin, "You go take Madoka somewhere safe, I'll take care of her."

Rin nodded and then replied, "Good luck dude." Then he hoisted up Madoka and ran for cover under a nearby awning.

Mars was still doing the whole monologue thing so she didn't even notice that Rin and Madoka had left. However, other people who were in Molco started to take notice to Mars. They may not have been able to see her Reaper wings but they could still see that she was dressed up like a knight and was spouting seemingly endless nonsensical ramblings at no one. I was getting strange looks too because I was the person who was standing the closest to her. I could hear some of the words from passersby. "_What is that girl doing? She looks ridiculous._" "_Promoting some new video game? It looks like it will be awesome if it has a hot girl like her as the main character._" "_That boy's standing next to her, are they together?_" "_Hey isn't that Neku Sakuraba from Class A? Why isn't he with Yoshiya Kiryu? Those guys are never apart._" "_So he plays for the other team?_" "_No, he's going out with Eri Takeyama from Class B._" "_Seriously! Lucky bastard, he gets all the cute girls._" I turned to my right to see who those last couple of comments came from, and I spotted two boys who wore my school's uniform.

'Ugh, I'm getting off track here. I need to solve the next puzzle,' I thought to myself and then I turned back to face Mars, who was still rambling to herself. "Hey!" I shouted, getting her attention and finally getting her to stop talking. "Look, can you go ahead and give me the puzzle? I've only got…" I looked at might right palm and then said, "Thirty-nine minutes left to clear the Mission."

Mars frowned slightly at me and then she asked me, "Thou art impatient, aren't thy?" Then she cleared her throat and said, "Very well here is the next puzzle." Mars pulled her sword out from her scabbard and then she raised it over her head and closed her eyes. She began to chant, "Nexus, Sho, Mi, Rei . Nexus, Sho, Mir, Rei. Nexus, Sho, Mi, Rei!" and then suddenly her sword became enveloped in a blue aura that surprised the hell out of me. Then Mars brought her sword down by her side again, and then she shouted, "Stop!"

After that everything seemed different, I couldn't feel the stares or hear the whispers of other people anymore. I looked around me and saw that everything was still and quiet. Every other person at Molco was as mobile as a statue. No one moved, not even the people who appeared that they were in motion. Rin and Madoka were also included in this occurrence. It was as if time simply stopped around me. Then I looked down at the Timer on my right palm and I realized that time had stopped. I looked back at Mars and then I asked her, "You did this didn't you?"

Mars nodded, "Twas necessary for thee to complete the second chapter of thine quest." Mars motioned to the area around the two of us with her sword, "Behold the power of the House of Scarletrosé, "Temporal Rose". Now all motion and sense of time in the outside world shall be abolished."

I sweat dropped, 'In other words, time stops in both the UG and RG. So now I can complete the puzzle without anyone else eyeing us, but that also means I'm in this alone,' I thought to myself. Then I asked Mars, "Okay, so can I start the puzzle now?"

"Very well, the test of mental power has begun." Mars waved her sword again and then a dark brown wooden block appeared over my head. Slowly, it came down from the air and fell into my outstretched hands. I stared at the block curiously; there were depictions of certain things on each side of it, one side had a depiction of what looked like a Player Pin, on another side there was a depiction of a necklace with a small bell attached to it, another side had the head of a ram on it, the side next to that had the head of a lion, another side had the head of a tiger, and the last side had the head of a snake. I looked up at Mars and asked, "What am I supposed to do with this?"

Mars shook her head and replied, "Henceforth, I may not release any secrets to the test. Nary a word shall pass from these lips," she said pointing at her mouth. Then she raised her right hand and said, "For the rest of the test, I shall retire to another location. Let me know when thou art finished." Then Mars snapped her fingers and disappeared.

I grunted and continued to turn the block over in my hands. "Dammit, what the hell do I do?" I asked myself aloud.

Then I heard another voice in my head. '_Neku!_' the voice shouted, '_What the hell happened to you?!_'

I was sure that I recognized the voice. 'Hello? Who's there? Ishida?' I asked for the voice's name, thinking that it was Jordan again.

'_You don't have to know who I am; as a matter of fact I'm sure you already know! Now I'll ask again! What the hell happened to you?!_'

I frowned and thought, 'Look whoever you are, I don't know what you want me to do. But if you want to help me, I could use as much as I can get.'

The voice scoffed and then replied, '_This is the bad side of exploring other worlds. You became codependent on other people. You became lazy and now you think that everyone will always be there to help you. Well face it Neku, people aren't always going to be there for you!_'

I inwardly cast a glare and replied to the voice, 'How I operate during a crisis is none of your damn business. Help is there for me when I need it, and I am willing to accept it. That doesn't make me lazy in any way.'

'_You just proved my point. I wish Sanae would have never told you that damned expression_. _"The world ends with you". That phrase is a joke._'

'You shut up about Mr. H! What do you know?! People who you can count on are the best thing that you can have in life!'

The voice was silent for a moment and then it replied, '_I used to think that way too you know. Friends, companions, brothers and sisters, I had all of those things. I was really happy in that blissful ignorance. Then one day everything changed, I stumbled upon a secret, a very deadly secret. And because of that, the one who I loved died right before my eyes. You know who was there for me when that happened, no one. I didn't have a shoulder to cry on, I was left all alone. That's when I realized that the only one you can ever truly count on is yourself._' Then the voice chuckled a little and continued, '_Who knows? Maybe if I had told you all of this when we first met, things would have turned out much differently. I chose you as my Proxy for a reason Neku because whether or not you remember, you realized the same thing as me at one point. You only need one world to live in, you don't need anyone else. You wanted to know the reason, right? Well there it is. That's the reason I killed you, so I could save you._'

My eyes went wide and then I said aloud, "Josh."

The voice replied, '_Hello, old friend._'

I began to shake in both surprise and anger, similar to that of when I met the alternate universe Joshua. I broke down on my knees and dropped the wooden block on the ground. Then the sidewalk concrete met my hands and tears as I started pounding away at the gravel and crying profusely. "Why?! Why?! Why?!" I shouted.

Josh scoffed again, '_You're pathetic. The Neku who I could have called my friend has all but vanished from this world, and in his place remains this pathetic shell of a man. This is the third time since the Game began that you've cried like a damn baby!_' Josh shouted. '_This is what I was afraid would happen to you if you truly decided to expand your horizon of other worlds. You have completely lost your edge. The old Neku would have been able to solve this puzzle in no time flat; he would have kept on trying until the world fell to pieces all around him, and after that he would have still found some way to make things go his way. But the way you are now, your skills have gone as dull as a blunt instrument. These last two days did you really even help your Team at all?'_

I shook my head with both of my hands like I was trying to make a bad brain freeze go away. "Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!" I shouted into the quiet frozen world.

'_Face it, those three that you made a Pact with are all going to end up Erased because you are a weak link. Every enemy that you've faced so far in this Game, you've either run away like a coward with their tail between their legs or you've allowed them to get the complete upper hand on you. You've proved that you are a worthless Partner to them, without them around you wouldn't have survived half this long. In the last Game you wouldn't have trusted anybody with getting a win except for yourself, now you've gone to the opposite side of the table and you're perfectly fine with someone else fighting your battles. You've become a damn coward! _

I growled in a low voice, "Shut the hell up!"

'_I trusted you with this world and you let someone waltz in and mess it up to hell!_'

"I said shut up!"

'_Do you remember what you said to Eri Takeyama yesterday? About how it was her fault that Shiki died? You better take a long good look in the mirror buddy because it's your fault she's dead. You killed Shiki, and Beat and all the other people that have died because you became soft and let my asshole of a brother take over!_'

That was the final straw. My eyes grew wide and I let loose an ear-piercing scream that would have probably made someone deaf if they were standing close to me. "Get out of my head! Leave me alone! Stop blaming me for shit I couldn't control! It's your damn fault for starting all of this! Your plan to destroy Shibuya, Shades turning everybody into zombies, and you using me like you freakin' puppet! I've lost my friends that I worked hard to obtain, and worst of all I've lost her! You're the one to blame for all of this!" Tears streamed into my eyes as I began to frantically look all around me for any sign of Joshua. "Where are you, dammit?! Show yourself you fuckin' Angel! I'll kill you!"

'_It looks like this is the only way to make you come to your senses._' A second later, a white light appeared and then disappeared instantaneously from behind me. I turned around and I saw him. It was him, no doubt about it. He wore a white dress shirt which was not tucked into his pair of black pants; he also wore a pair of white tennis shoes, and a silver necklace which hung loosely across his neck. He might have been dressed up like this world's Joshua, but I knew it was him. Their long and curly gray hair and dull gray eyes were both the same, but I could still tell the difference. This Josh just felt wrong; it felt like I could perceive a massive amount of Psych Energy behind him. He was deadly, but he just wore that stupid fuckin' grin on his face. That grin that I remembered despising in the last Game, that obnoxious grin that showed he didn't have a care in the world. All my memories of him getting on my nerves suddenly came flooding back to me. '"_Who cares about the Mission? Some other Players will handle it. It's none of my concern." "Aw, that's a really sad story Neku. Here let me a play a song for you on the world's smallest violin." "News flash, Neku. I…don't…care." "Who cares about other Players? I can't get Erased, and that's all that matters." "Would it make any difference if I did tell you what I was up to? Or would you still hate my guts? That's what I thought." "And what if I did kill you, eh? Would that change anything between us? You've wanted to kill me since Day 1 but you know you can't because if I die then you die." "You wanted to reason to beat me up, didn't you? Well here's three. I'm the Composer, I killed you, and I'm going to destroy Shibuya."_' Joshua continued to smile at me even though I was sure I had a look spread across my face that said 'I am going to kill you'.

"You're responsible for all of this!" I shouted at him. "If you didn't kill me in the first place! None of this shit would have happened!"

Josh snickered and replied, "Oh come on Neku, isn't that a little convoluted thinking that all your problems started with that day? It was a year ago, get over it."

"If you hadn't killed me then I would have never met Shiki, or Beat, or Rhyme or anyone else! I wouldn't feel the way I do now! It's your entire damn fault!"

Josh shook his head slightly and then he replied, "Jeez, you know in all that you've said so far, you've only talked about the last Game, yourself, and all your old friends. I haven't even heard you mention one word about those new three you've been paling around with. Not even one word about Madoka, and I thought you two were really close." Then Josh's smile disappeared and was replaced with a frown, "The truth is you don't care about any of them, do you? You don't care about this world and you don't care what my brothers and sisters do with it. As long as you can be reunited with Shiki, you don't care about anything else." Then Josh snickered again, "I guess Sanae was right, the world really does end with you. You always have to be the center of attention, you always have to have your way, and you always have to be the hero who saves his beloved. You're nothing more than a selfish child who doesn't care about anyone else after he's satisfied. If anything, you're a worse person than I could ever be."

I couldn't take it anymore. I bum rushed Josh and then I pinned him to the back of a nearby lamp post, and then I knocked his head repeatedly against the metal surface. Then I punched him and kicked him and beat on him, again and again and again, until I felt my arms and my legs get tired. I hit him all over, in the gut, in all his appendages, and several times in his face. When I was finally done, Josh had several marks on his body that were sure to turn into bruises and a broken nose that had fresh blood coming out of it. Then I fell back down onto the ground and sobbed again. Josh simply frowned at me and then he asked, "Did you get all of that out of your system?" He didn't flinch or do anything to fight back while I was beating the hell out of him. It was like he was determined to be the bigger man. It got on my nerves; he always got on my nerves.

I didn't respond to his question, I simply stared back at him.

After a moment of silence, Josh began to speak again. "You're fighting style is even worse. Seriously, did you turn into a big moody sad sack in just one year? At this rate, you're never going to put things back to normal." Then Josh came over to me and then he sat down on the ground next to me. He turned to me and sighed, "Look, I know I'm not your favorite person in the world but you can't just take out all your frustration on me. Even though you may not consider me as such, I consider you one of my closest friends. Do you know why I came to you today?"

I shook my head in response to his question.

"I do want to help you, I've decided to go against my own kind and help the one I want to call my friend. You may not know it but there's something going on that's bigger than me and you. This Game was never about our fight and it was never about you beating me. They want to turn us against each other but we can't let them do that."

I dried my eyes a little and then I asked, "So you did come to help me?"

Josh nodded, "In a way," he replied. "I've decided to abandon my old way of life as a Higher Being, in favor of supporting a better world which I believe a certain Mortal can create."

I was confused, "Higher Beings? Mortals? Angels? What do all these terms mean?" I asked.

Josh smiled at me and replied, "Now have you ever known me to give you the full picture in one go? I can't make it too easy for you." Then Josh rose up his right hand and brought his pointer finger to my heart. "All you need to know for now is that I'm on your side; don't get me wrong though, I'm not abandoning my way of thinking. I still wish for the world to be unified. However, I've realized that I can't just force people to join my way of thinking, so I'm just going to let whatever happens next just happen naturally. If others think it's for the best then it's for the best."

I smiled a little and then I asked, "So are you saying you want to be Partners again?"

Josh smiled back at me and then he replied, "That would be interesting, but unfortunately I'm more of a wanted man now than I was when we were first Partners. If I was seen around you, my brothers and sisters would stop playing games all together and try to wipe us both out in one fail swoop."

"Why?" I asked.

"In due time, anyway what you really need to know is that Sanae and I have your back all the way. We'll help you from behind the scenes and make sure that you and your Team remains safe. And if you ever run into any trouble that really is too much for you, I'll jump in and help out. Think of me as your Guardian Angel."

I chuckled a little bit, "You're as corny as ever."

Then Josh frowned again and then he picked up the wooden block that I threw on the ground earlier. "To think something like this gave the person, who I consider my equal, a hard time. This isn't even one of Meti's hard puzzles; if he had given you his "cube" then I could understand. Even he can't solve that thing." Josh handed me the block and then continued to speak, "Did Sanae ever tell you the rest of that phrase?" he asked.

"There's a second part to "the world ends with you"?" I asked in reply.

Josh nodded and then said, "The whole thing goes "_The world ends with you, so make the most of it. But never forget that the world is also filled with uncertainties, so be prepared for when they come. And above all else enjoy yourself because you don't get a second turn at the game called life._" He reached out his hand to me and I gladly took it. Then Josh pulled me up back onto my feet and said, "The world is filled with uncertainties, Neku. You can't be sure that what you have today won't be gone tomorrow. It's like the situation you're in right now, it kind of makes me think that saying was made especially for you."

"Were you the one who came up with that saying and gave it to Mr. H?" I asked.

Then Josh frowned and replied, "No, the one who originally came up with it was the person who gave it to me. I used to be really gloomy and sad all the time, and she always used to cheer me up with that saying. She passed it onto me, and I passed it onto Sanae, who in turn passed it onto you." Then he smiled a little and chuckled warmly, "Maybe that phrase is powerful after all."

I smiled at him and said, "It is powerful." Then I grabbed his hands to get his full attention, and then I said, "And I'm going to prove it to you. No more moping around, I'm going to become my old self again. I'm going to trust in Madoka, Rin, and Kazuma, and together we are going to win this Game. I am going to kick the asses of your stuck up family and then I'm going to return to my world and pass on that saying to anyone who will listen." I let go of Josh's hands and then he smiled at me.

"You're getting ambitious," he said. "The Neku who won't take no for an answer, the Neku who will keep fighting until the last breath, now that's the Neku I came to see. Although I kind of wish it didn't take insulting you and beating me up to get you to come out of your cage."

Then I chuckled in an embarrassed manner and I rubbed the back of my head. "Yeah, sorry about that by the way," I apologized.

"No need for apologies," Josh replied. "After our dispute last time, I kind of figured that allowing you to beat me up would be the least I could do. Don't worry, I heal fast." Then Josh's eyes widened and he exclaimed, "Oh, and I almost forgot! Here!" Josh suddenly snapped his fingers. Nothing happened though.

"Um, what was that all about?" I asked.

"I was just returning the Entry Fee that I took from you before. Since we're now officially friends, I don't need it anymore. Besides, I think it's time that you had your whole memory back."

"My whole memory?"

Josh snickered, "You were still missing a few pieces after the Game ended. Don't worry, it just takes one little spark to jog your memory and then everything that you've forgotten will come flooding back. Now I have to go, and you have a Mission to complete. Give my regards to Meti when you see him, don't worry he won't tell the others about me." Then there was another flash of white light and Josh disappeared.

I looked down at the wooden block in my hands and then I smiled. For the first time since the Game began, I had hope.

* * *

><p>AN: How was that for a reunion? Bitter rivals have now turned into allied friends, a little cliché but hey I like cliché. Next time, Neku finally solves the puzzle and a Kazuma side-story is revealed.


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